A contusion of the brain is a very serious condition that requires immediate medical attention, even if the skull appears to be intact on the outside. As a result of a contusion of the brain, blood vessels within the skull may be damaged and a hematoma may form, which threatens our life. Find out what the symptoms of a contusion are, how to recognize if a hematoma has formed and how a bruise differs from a concussion.
Contusion of the brain( contusio cerebri ) is a superficial damage to the hemispheres of the brain or its stem as a result of a closed head injury, in which there was no breaking the continuity of the skull and direct injury to the brain. Brain tissue damage occurs in the form of cuts, tears, and minor and major bleeding.
Contusion and concussion
Contrary to contusion of the brain, concussion is only a temporary disturbance of brain function with no changes in its structure. The main symptoms of concussion are: immediate loss of consciousness, lasting from a few to several minutes, subsequent headaches and dizziness, nausea and balance disorders. Retrograde amnesia, i.e. loss of memory about events shortly before the injury, is also common.
In the case of brain contusion, it happens that the patient does not lose consciousness immediately after the injury, but only later and for a longer period (even several hours). Long-term loss of consciousness should be accompanied by symptoms of increased intracranial pressure due to cerebral edema, with paresis or inertia of the limbs, as well as respiratory disorders and somnolence.
Symptoms of brain contusion
The symptoms of a brain contusion depend on the location and extent of the injury. Most often, the trauma occurs around the temporal and frontal lobes, i.e. in the areas responsible for e.g. for concentration, memory and emotions.
Contusion of the hemispheres of the brain
- headaches,
- paresis of body parts,
- speech disorder,
- ataxia (motor coordination disorder),
- loss of smell,
- visual disturbance,
- sometimes there is a Babinski symptom (reflex extension of the big toe with hisdorsiflexion).
Loss of consciousness usually lasts no more than 6 hours.
Brain Stem Contusion
A contusion of the brainstem is usually classified as a severe or critical injury, as in this case the mortality rate is over 50%. A characteristic symptom of a contusion of the brain stem is long-term loss of consciousness (6-24 hours). It is sometimes associated with damage to the diencephalon and midbrain, and loss of consciousness lasting more than 24 hours.
1. Neurological features of brain stem damage:
- headaches,
- constriction of the pupil with the suppression of the reaction to light,
- disturbances in the position of the eyeballs,
- bilateral symptom of Babinski,
- straightening the limbs.
2. Disorders of the autonomic nervous system:
- temperature rise,
- acceleration and irregularity of breathing,
- increase in blood pressure,
- excessive sweating.
Contusion of the brain - diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis is made on the basis of symptoms and after performing a CT scan of the head. If the examination shows that the bruise is accompanied by a hematoma, surgical intervention is necessary, and the associated hospitalization, lasting up to several weeks. It is worth knowing that late hematomas may appear 5-10 or even 30 days after a head injury.