CORRECT ANSWERS
Primary cause of spinal cord injuries - direct trauma
Secondary cause of spinal cord injuries - decreased perfusion or oxygenation to the site of injury
Neurogenic shock - loss of both vasomotor tone and sympathetic innervations
Neurogenic shock is seen with a spinal cord injury at the level of BLANK or higher - T5
Complete spinal cord injury - When the patient exhibits a complete absence of sensation and
voluntary motor function below the level of the injury
Incomplete spinal cord injury - patients who still have some sensation or motor function or a
combination of both below the level of injury
Types of incomplete spinal cord injuries - -Anterior Cord Syndrome
-Central Cord Syndrome
-Brown Sequard Syndrome
Examples of penetrating head wounds - -GSW
-Stabbing/piercing
Examples of blunt head wounds - Falls, MVC, bicycle, pedestrian incidents, assaults
ETCO2 - -End tital carbon dioxide
-Ideally kept at 35
-This measures CO2 at the end of an exhaled breath and provides information regarding adequacy of
circulatory flow
Normal ICP level - 0-15mmHg
, Three components of the Glasgow Coma Scale - 1. Eye Opening (4-1)
2. Verbal Response (5-1)
3. Motor Response (6-1)
Coma - Defined as a GCS of 8 or less and REQUIRES definitive airway management
Adequate CPP - 60-70mmHg
Cushing's Triad - Hypertension, bradycardia, and irregular respirations
-Signs of herniation and require immediate attention
Classification of Brain injuries - Mild (GCS of 14-15)
Moderate (GCS of 9-13)
Severe (GCS of 3-8)
Focal intracranial lesions - localized lesions that may expand and cause damage to other areas of the
brain or result in secondary injury
Cerebral contusion - When capillaries in the brain tissue are damaged and cause hemorrhage,
infarction, or necrosis
Intracerebral Lesion - Occur deep within the brain tissue and can have single lesions or multiple. Can
cause complications such as mass effect, increased ICP, or neurologic deterioration.
Epidural Hematoma - -Arterial bleed often caused by a direct blow to the head causing ruptured
blood vessels in close proximity to the fracture
-bleeding between the skull and dura
-"talk and die" syndrome
-Treated with evacuation of blood (burr hole)
Subdural Hematoma - -Venous bleed often caused by a torn vessel in the bridging veins between the
brain and dura
-Treat with reduction of ICP and possible surgical intervention