Intracranial hemorrhage natural history, complications and prognosis
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Intracranial hemorrhage Microchapters |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
Prognosis
Intracranial hemorrhage is a serious medical emergency because the buildup of blood within the skull can lead to increases in intracranial pressure, which can crush delicate brain tissue or limit its blood supply. Intracranial bleeds with a lot of bleeding are more dangerous than those with not as much blood.
The risk of death from an intraparenchymal bleed in traumatic brain injury is especially high when the injury occurs in the brain stem.[1] Intraparenchymal bleeds within the medulla are almost always fatal, because they cause damage to cranial nerve X, the vagus nerve, which plays an important role in blood circulation and breathing.[2] This kind of hemorrhage can also occur in the cortex or subcortical areas, usually in the frontal or temporal lobes when due to head injury, and sometimes in the cerebellum.[2][3] [4]
For spontaneous ICH seen on CT scan, the death rate (mortality) is 34–50% by 30 days after the insult.[5]
References
- ↑ Sanders MJ and McKenna K. 2001. Mosby’s Paramedic Textbook, 2nd revised Ed. Chapter 22, "Head and Facial Trauma." Mosby.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
- ↑ Graham DI and Gennareli TA. Chapter 5, "Pathology of Brain Damage After Head Injury" Cooper P and Golfinos G. 2000. Head Injury, 4th Ed. Morgan Hill, New York.
- ↑ Vinas FC and Pilitsis J. 2004. "Penetrating Head Trauma." Emedicine.com.
- ↑