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Chapter 2 - The Neuropathology of Traumatic Brain Injury

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2020

By
David Hilton
Edited by
Peter C. Whitfield ,
Jessie Welbourne ,
Elfyn Thomas ,
Fiona Summers ,
Maggie Whyte  and
Peter J. Hutchinson
Peter C. Whitfield
Affiliation:
Derriford Hospital, Plymouth
Jessie Welbourne
Affiliation:
University Hospitals, Plymouth
Elfyn Thomas
Affiliation:
Derriford Hospital, Plymouth
Fiona Summers
Affiliation:
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Maggie Whyte
Affiliation:
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Peter J. Hutchinson
Affiliation:
Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge
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Summary

The neuropathological changes associated with head injuries are dependent on a number of factors, including both the type and severity of the injury, and the former can be divided into non-missile and missile types of injury. Non-missile injury (or blunt head injury) is usually due to rapid acceleration or deceleration of the head, with or without impact, or less commonly crushing of the head, and most often occur as the result of road traffic accidents or falls. Missile injuries are due to penetration of the skull by a rapidly moving external object, for example gunshot wounds, and result in a different pattern of brain injury. The neuropathology can be separated into focal (or localised) lesions such as contusions, haemorrhages, skull fractures, or diffuse changes such as diffuse axonal injury, diffuse vascular injury, brain swelling and ischaemia (see Table 2.1).

Type
Chapter
Information
Traumatic Brain Injury
A Multidisciplinary Approach
 , pp. 12 - 23
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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