Traumatic brain injuries often strike without warning and make up nearly a third (30.5 percent) of all injury-related deaths in the U.S.
Dr. Michael Turner is a neurosurgeon with Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital who sees the effects of such life-threatening injuries everyday in the hospital’s Level I trauma center.
In recognition of March being Trauma Brain Injury Awareness Month, Turner offers insight into various types of traumatic brain injuries and how to treat them.
What are the different types of traumatic brain injuries?
Turner: There are two basic types of traumatic brain injury. The first type is a “closed-head injury” resulting from the movement of the brain inside the skull. Such injuries often result from either a fall, a motor vehicle collision or from being struck by an object.
The second type is a “penetrating injury” caused by an object piercing the skull and brain. A common example of this type of injury is a gunshot wound.
How common are such injuries?
Traumatic brain injuries affect approximately 1.7 million Americans each year –which breaks down to an average of more than 4,600 people each day or nearly three people each minute. Of those 1.7 million Americans, 52,000 die and 275,000 others are hospitalized, on average.
What are some ways a traumatic brain injury can affect the body?
A severe traumatic brain injury can cause short- and long-term issues that affect attention and memory; coordination and balance; hearing and vision; and even emotions and personality. For those who were hospitalized for the injury, almost half have a related disability one year later.
What is the most common type of brain injury you see as a neurosurgeon?
For adults, concussions are the most common of all the head injuries we see. For both adults and children, falls are the most common cause of serious head injuries, followed closely by motor vehicle collisions. In fact, most falls that result in serious injury involve children ages 4 and under and adults ages 75 and older. And when it comes to cases involving child abuse, head injury is the most common cause of death.
How do you treat a traumatic brain injury?
Treating a mild traumatic injury requires supportive care that addresses both the pain and nausea that we typically see with such injuries. For more moderate and severe injuries, our neurosurgical team focuses on reducing the swelling and pressure build-up within the skull to prevent further injury to the brain.
What does recovery from a traumatic brain injury look like?
The recovery from a traumatic brain injury is directly related to how severe the initial injury was, how early the patient received care, other injuries the patient may have, how well the patient was breathing after a crash, and whether there was significant low blood pressure after the injury.
Is it true that children tend to recover better from traumatic brain injuries?
Yes. Children, in general, tend to recover from traumatic brain injuries better than adults. Children’s brains are more resilient – able to spring back quickly. Their bodies can better survive severe trauma and they are more easily rehabilitated because their brains are still learning. However, infants with traumatic brain injuries tend to do much worse than either children or adults.
Is it realistic to expect complete recovery from such injuries?
Remarkable recoveries are possible but, unfortunately, permanent disabilities are most common – especially in severe injuries.
What can people do to prevent a traumatic brain injury?
There are some very simple things you can do. First, make sure to wear your seat belt every time you’re in a vehicle. Second, don’t drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs. And lastly, don’t try to drive while engaging in distracting behaviors such as eating, talking on the phone or texting.
Indiana University Health Neuroscience is the only nationally-ranked neuroscience program in Indiana. For more information about IU Health Neuroscience and treatments for traumatic brain injuries, visit www.iuhealth.org/neuro.
