1/10. Multi-channel cochlear implantation in patients with a post-traumatic sensorineural hearing loss.There are few accounts of cochlear implantation in adults with post-traumatic sensorineural hearing loss. We report our experience with multichannel implantation in three such patients. Two patients experienced no cognitive or communication deficits as a result of their head injury. At nine months post-implant, compared with our experience of non-head-injured implantees, these patients achieved average or above average scores on audiological performance tests. The third patient presented with cognitive, behavioural and communicative deficits. The level of improvement achieved by this patient, when lip-reading was supplemented with electrical stimulation, in both BKB sentence and connected discourse tracking (CDT) tests was comparable with that of the non-head-injured group. However, his absolute performance at nine months post-implant was well below average. Performance at 18 months on BKB sentences and environmental sound recognition showed little change, and was again well below average, however his score on CDT with lip-reading and electrical stimulation improved considerably and was similar to the average achieved by the non-head-injured group. The major difficulties experienced with this patient were increasing depression and low implant use. Considerably more time was spent in the assessment and rehabilitation of this patient and involved liaison with a number of other agencies. When considering such patients for cochlear implantation it is strongly recommended that these additional requirements are taken into account.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/10. cluster analysis of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance images in human head injury.OBJECTIVE: Issues surrounding the nature of the edema associated with traumatic brain injury in humans, and its evolution in the acute phase, remain unresolved. This study aimed to characterize the topographical nature of the pathophysiological changes in human traumatic brain injury with diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging. methods: Multislice diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from five patients undergoing elective ventilation for management of traumatic focal contusion or hematomas. The diffusion tensor and the T2-weighted intensity were then computed for every voxel in the image data set for each patient. The topographical distribution of abnormalities in the trace of the diffusion tensor and T2-weighted images were characterized by cluster analysis. RESULTS: In four patients with technically satisfactory data, a narrow band of tissue was observed in the periphery of focal lesions, which was characterized by selective reduction in the trace of the diffusion tensor, without any associated increase in the T2-weighted signal intensity. CONCLUSION: This change is interpreted as indicating either a partial redistribution of water from the extra- to intracellular compartment, or a reduction in the diffusivity of water in the intracellular or cytosolic environment. These diffusion and T2-weighted characteristics are also found in early ischemic change, hence, such regions may represent potentially salvageable tissue at risk of permanent damage. The study illustrates the advantage of using information contained within the diffusion tensor in addition to more conventional imaging sequences.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/10. Recovery of children after severe head injury. Psychoreactive superimpositions.After the regaining of consciousness and awareness in the strange environment of an intensive care unit, an injured child is exposed to a situation of extreme psychological impact. This situation, in addition to a probably organically changed reactivity, is liable to provoke a particular, abnormal psychic response. The abnormal reaction can follow the pattern of a feigned-death response and thus mimic an organic coma vigile (apallic state). The resulting psychoreactive stuporous state ("Sleeping beauty syndrome") may lead to a misjudgement of the recovery degree and may delay early rehabilitation. With the help of a representative case, the clinical manifestation, course, and treatment of this reactive juvenile syndrome are presented. The interaction of physiogenic and psychogenic factors responsible for some psychiatric sequelae during the early period after head injury is emphasized.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/10. Can mild head injury cause ischaemic stroke?Five cases of ischaemic stroke preceded by minor head trauma in children are described. All patients had striatocapsular infarction. Three had no cerebrovascular abnormality; two had turbulent flow in the proximal middle cerebral artery. None of the patients had evidence of arterial dissection or any other risk factors for stroke. All made an excellent neurological recovery. Possible mechanisms include mechanical disruption to the flow in the perforating branches of the middle cerebral artery, intimal trauma and subsequent thrombosis, or arterial spasm induced by trauma. The specific susceptibility in affected children remains unexplained; both genetic and environmental factors (for example, previous chickenpox) may be implicated.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/10. Intracranial insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway in a patient with craniofacial trauma.Intracranial insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway is an unusual and catastrophic complication of airway management in the patient with a severe closed head injury. We present an unfortunate 43-year-old patient with intracranial insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway during trauma resuscitation. The nasopharyngeal airway was removed. Attempts to resuscitate the patient were continued, but were eventually unsuccessful. Blind nasopharyngeal airway insertion may result in iatrogenic injury when used in the head-injured patient. Oropharyngeal airways may be used to assist with ventilation. However, it is preferable to definitively secure the airway through inline endotracheal intubation or with surgical techniques in this patient population. Should violation of the skull base occur, removal is accomplished in the controlled environment of the operating room.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/10. Complex cranial base trauma resulting from recreational fireworks injury: case reports and review of the literature.Two patients who sustained complex skull base trauma secondary to recreational fireworks injuries are reported. Initial assessment and management included axial and coronal computerized tomography, control of hemorrhage, debridement of wound and brain, isolation of brain from external environment, and reconstruction of the cranial base floor. Secondary orbital and facial reconstruction used available bone fragments and iliac bone graft in one patient and vascularized free tissue transfer in the other. In both patients, reconstruction of both the intracranial and extracranial compartments was successful with acceptable cosmetic result. Modification of multiple conventional approaches, along with a multispecialty surgical team, was used to deal effectively with these unique cases.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/10. A case of a death by explosives: the keys to a proper investigation.Suicidal deaths involving an explosive, unrelated to a terrorist act, are rare. The rarity of such events presents a unique environment for those investigating such a death. We report a case of suicide involving a 29-year-old white male who detonated a firework in his mouth, resulting in massive craniocerebral destruction. He was discovered in his residence shortly after the explosion. Initially, the case was believed to be a fatal gunshot wound by the paramedics and homicide detectives at the scene. Several small pieces of red colored paper and a possible end cap were located throughout the scene. Analysis of the paper and end cap showed trace components consistent with flash powder. The victim had used a pyrotechnic device to commit suicide. Therefore, it is critical for those who investigate deaths be able to identify cases that involve explosives in order to properly collect and analyze the evidence.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/10. J wave and hypothermia.hypothermia can result from exposure to a cold environment (e.g., accidental drowning) or it can be induced and used as a brain protection strategy (e.g., therapeutic hypothermia). One common ECG presentation with hypothermia is the J wave, which is related to the altered cellular activities during hypothermia. A case study is used in this article to illustrate the presentation of a J wave with a patient experiencing hypothermia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/10. head injury and mental handicap.A clinical and pathological study of head injury and the implications in mental handicap are outlined. Non-accidental injury as a form of child abuse is suspected as contributing considerably to the cause of mental handicap in populations resident in long-stay hospital, but this is unlikely to be the best environment for such patients. A number of mentally handicapped epileptic patients who injure their heads during fits and patients who repeatedly bang their heads as a feature of self-injurious behaviour are exposed to progressive neurological deficits associated with lesions in the brain which could further impair the efficiency of brain function.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/10. A flexible solution for emergency intubation difficulties.The inability to correctly position the patient may cause difficulty during oral endotracheal intubation. Examples of such circumstances include cases of suspected cervical spine injury and cases of restricted access to the patient in the prehospital environment. The Eschmann tracheal tube introducer, more commonly called the "gum elastic bougie", is a valuable aid to oral intubation. The case reported herein, of a successful bougie-assisted oral intubation in the prehospital setting, highlights the usefulness of the technique. physicians considering the use of the gum elastic bougie for intubation difficulties after rapid sequence induction should seek specific training in the use of the instrument.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = environment (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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