Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Assessment
OVERVIEW
TBI assessment involves:
- determining nature and severity of TBI
- diagnosing underlying causes, complications and associated injuries
- identify indications for monitoring and therapies
- determining prognosis
HISTORY
General (AMPLE)
- Allergies and ADT
- Medications
- Past history and pregnancy status
- last meal
- Events leading up to injury
Specifically:
- Age
- Mechanism of injury
- Significant co-morbidities
- Pre-existing neurological deficits
- GCS at the scene
- GCS during transport to hospital
- Oxygen saturation
- Blood pressure
- Coagulation status
- Treatments already given and response to treatment
EXAMINATION
- Primary and secondary survey as per ATLS algorithms
- Vital signs (obtain SpO2 and BP as soon as possible)
Specifically in TBI assess:
- Glasgow coma scale (E1-4 V1-5 M1-6; assess after resuscitation)
- Pupils (assess after resuscitation and note evidence of orbital trauma)
— reactivity to light (a fixed pupil is <1mm response to bright light)
— asymmetry
— dilation (‘blown pupil’) - Focal neurological deficit
- Lateralising weakness
- Evidence of:
– penetrating head injury
— blunt trauma
Evidence of base of skull fracture:
- Peri-orbital ecchymosis
- Retroauricular ecchymosis
- CSF otorrhoea
- CSF rhinorrhoea
- Cranial nerve palsies (especially CN VIII)
- Haemotympanum
Look for evidence of trans-tentorial herniation:
- Dilated and non-reactive pupils
- Asymmetric pupils
- Deterioration in neurological condition
- Cushing reflex:
— Hypertension
— Bradycardia
— Irregular respirations
Look for evidence of underlying causes and complications
- e.g. medic alert bracelets, evidence of seizures (tongue biting, incontinence, etc)
INVESTIGATIONS
Bedside
- glucose
- ECG
- blood gas
- FAST scan
Laboratory
- Trauma series bloods (e.g. FBC, UEC, LFTs, lipase, coags, cross-match)
Imaging
- Urgent CT head and cervical spine (Ensure airway adequately protected and haemodynamically stable prior to transfer to CT)
- Trauma series radiographs as indicated
- MRI may be required sub-acutely (e.g. DAI, spinal cord injury)
References and Links
CCC Neurocritical Care Series
Emergencies: Brain Herniation, Eclampsia, Elevated ICP, Status Epilepticus, Status Epilepticus in Paeds
DDx: Acute Non-Traumatic Weakness, Bulbar Dysfunction, Coma, Coma-like Syndromes, Delayed Awakening, Hearing Loss in ICU, ICU acquired Weakness, Post-Op Confusion, Pseudocoma, Pupillary Abnormalities
Neurology: Anti-NMDA Encephalitis, Basilar Artery Occlusion, Central Diabetes Insipidus, Cerebral Oedema, Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis, Cervical (Carotid / Vertebral) Artery Dissections, Delirium, GBS vs CIP, GBS vs MG vs MND, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Horner’s Syndrome, Hypoxic Brain Injury, Intracerebral Haemorrhage (ICH), Myasthenia Gravis, Non-convulsive Status Epilepticus, Post-Hypoxic Myoclonus, PRES, Stroke Thrombolysis, Transverse Myelitis, Watershed Infarcts, Wernicke’s Encephalopathy
Neurosurgery: Cerebral Salt Wasting, Decompressive Craniectomy, Decompressive Craniectomy for Malignant MCA Syndrome, Intracerebral Haemorrhage (ICH)
— SCI: Anatomy and Syndromes, Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury, C-Spine Assessment, C-Spine Fractures, Spinal Cord Infarction, Syndomes,
— SAH: Acute management, Coiling vs Clipping, Complications, Grading Systems, Literature Summaries, ICU Management, Monitoring, Overview, Prognostication, Vasospasm
— TBI: Assessment, Base of skull fracture, Brain Impact Apnoea, Cerebral Perfusion Pressure (CPP), DI in TBI, Elevated ICP, Limitations of CT, Lund Concept, Management, Moderate Head Injury, Monitoring, Overview, Paediatric TBI, Polyuria incl. CSW, Prognosis, Seizures, Temperature
ID in NeuroCrit. Care: Aseptic Meningitis, Bacterial Meningitis, Botulism, Cryptococcosis, Encephalitis, HSV Encephalitis, Meningococcaemia, Spinal Epidural Abscess
Equipment/Investigations: BIS Monitoring, Codman ICP Monitor, Continuous EEG, CSF Analysis, CT Head, CT Head Interpretation, EEG, Extradural ICP Monitors, External Ventricular Drain (EVD), Evoked Potentials, Jugular Bulb Oxygen Saturation, MRI Head, MRI and the Critically Ill, Train of Four (TOF), Transcranial Doppler
Pharmacology: Desmopressin, Hypertonic Saline, Levetiracetam (Keppra), Mannitol, Midazolam, Sedation in ICU, Thiopentone
MISC: Brainstem Rules of 4, Cognitive Impairment in Critically Ill, Eye Movements in Coma, Examination of the Unconscious Patient, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Hiccoughs, Myopathy vs Neuropathy, Neurology Literature Summaries, NSx Literature Summaries, Occulocephalic and occulovestibular reflexes, Prognosis after Cardiac Arrest, SIADH vs Cerebral Salt Wasting, Sleep in ICU
- Brain Trauma Foundation Guidelines – Guidelines for the Management of Severe TBI
Critical Care
Compendium
Chris is an Intensivist and ECMO specialist at The Alfred ICU, where he is Deputy Director (Education). He is a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University, the Lead for the Clinician Educator Incubator programme, and a CICM First Part Examiner.
He is an internationally recognised Clinician Educator with a passion for helping clinicians learn and for improving the clinical performance of individuals and collectives. He was one of the founders of the FOAM movement (Free Open-Access Medical education) has been recognised for his contributions to education with awards from ANZICS, ANZAHPE, and ACEM.
His one great achievement is being the father of three amazing children.
On Bluesky, he is @precordialthump.bsky.social and on the site that Elon has screwed up, he is @precordialthump.
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