What are some prognosis for Brain Injury?

Prognosis


 * The prognosis of TBI often depends on the severity of the MBA, on the attention that an individual received upon injury and on the severity
 * of the injury. It is difficult to predict the outcomes of TBI, one can be in a coma, severely injured and not expected to walk or talk
 * again and walk out of the hospital and be fine, while another could have mild injuries and suffer much more from their TBI and have
 * more complications. Please remember that what is being discussed here is only medical literature that are suggestions of ways to
 * predict one’s prognosis after a TBI. The brain is the most complicated part of our body and there is much about it that we still do
 * not understand. Doctors are constantly discovering new things about the brain and each injury is different and unique. What may have
 * been an accurate prediction of one’s outcome based on assessments, scans and the Glasgow Coma Scale, may not be an accurate prediction
 * for another.


 * Studies have suggested that there are a couple of factors that can help predict one’s outcome after a TBI and these factors are used
 * in many hospitals:


 * A) The Glasgow Coma Scale (GSC) score within six hours of admission. This is the most common one and often the
 * most accurate one.


 * B) Neuroassessment (assessments of the brain and brain functioning) that are not reflected within the GCS


 * C) Mechanism of injuries (how one was hurt and where they were injured)


 * D) age of patient


 * E) the relationship of the multiple injuries and how complicated they are and which takes precedent.
 * For example if there are live threatening injuries, those will be treated first and dealt with.
 * Sometimes this means that complications in the brain could arise, since the injuries to the brain may not have been
 * as life threatening as the crushed lung.


 * F) CT Scans and MRI’s


 * G) Length of coma and stay in hospital.


 * Most individuals with a moderate brain injury will survive a hospital stay and do report upon discharge memory loss, difficulty
 * with daily living and some struggles.
 * Some can have complications with their minor head injuries also. They may report headaches, memory deficits and some issues
 * with cognitive functioning (how one’s mind is now working.)


 * If an individual is admitted to a hospital with more severe injuries and has a severe brain injury, they often are admitted to the
 * Intensive Care Unit. If complications are to arise, many of them tend to be hypoxia, hypertension, delay in treatment and seizures.
 * These are often termed as secondary conditions, since they do not happen upon initial injury, but afterwards and can lead to a
 * secondary brain injury and poor outcomes. In some cases, an individual may have been in a motor vehicle collision and upon impact there
 * was not a brain injury, but as a result of the life threatening injuries that they received upon impact, there is complications as
 * mentioned above while in the emergency room or intensive care and this leads to a brain injury, which can be known as a secondary
 * brain injury.


 * There are prevention methods that the staffs are aware of and they monitor the individual to prevent hypoxia or hypertension and
 * seizures. The biggest concern that many doctors and staff have is swelling of the brain. If the brain swells, then this can lead to
 * further injury and complications. Once the brain injury has been diagnosed, then staff will do all that they can to reduce swelling.
 * Sometimes this can be a shunt (tube) that has been placed in the skull to reduce swelling and to release pressure. Some doctors believe
 * in hypothermia treatment in order to reduce swelling and to bring the pressure down. Seizures are also very serious and fluid/drugs can
 * be given to prevent seizures.


 * There are two types of head injury, closed head injury which means that the skull has not been cracked open and all of the swelling
 * and bleeding is internal, which is serious for that can lead to swelling of the brain and our skulls do not have room for the brain to
 * swell. This form of TBI can be more serious in the fact that it is not as easily diagnosed and can be harder to diagnosis. This is
 * when CT scans and MRI’s can be very helpful in order to have a better idea as to what is going on in the brain.


 * The second type of injury is open head injury which speaks for itself, the skull has been cracked open and it is obvious that there is
 * an insult to the brain. Medical staff will be faster to treat this form of injury and there is not always swelling of the brain upon
 * impact, but that can happen at a later date. One of the biggest concerns with this form of injury and what medical staff will try to
 * prevent is infection to the brain. If an infection develops in the brain, this can and will lead to further complications and injury.


 * What the overall conclusion is that the most effective treatment of TBI is prevention. Prevention to avoid being in a motor vehicle
 * collision and prevention of a secondary brain injury, whether it be to reduce swelling, prevent infection, prevent seizures and to do
 * all that one can do to help the brain heal and get better.