Dealing with the Surgical and Medical Challenges of Penetrating Brain Injuries

Abstract

Peacetime has reduced the overall incidence of penetrating brain injuries (PBI), and those related to missile penetration are not common anymore at least in western countries. Nevertheless, PBI still occur, and car crashes or work accidents are their main causes. The management of such cases is characterized by many challenges, not only from a surgical and medical point of view, but also for the different and sometimes bizarre dynamics by which they present. Herein we report an unusual deep penetrating brain injury, due to a high-energy crash against a metallic rod in a construction site, with a good surgical outcome despite dramatic clinical conditions on admission. A discussion of the surgical results and functional outcome related to PBI, as found in the English medical literature, is provided. Moreover the most common postoperative complications along with the diagnostic flow charts and therapeutic options useful to prevent inappropriate treatment are highlighted.

Pattern and Outcome of Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Southern Ethiopia: Observational Cross-Sectional Study

“…ese findings are comparable to similar studies done in Africa and China [22,29,41,42]. Moreover, a detailed review and discussion on the challenges in the surgical and medical management of severe and penetrating TBI suggested a more conservative approach envisioning for better options and outcomes in the future [43].…”

Neurosurgical Care of Nonpowder Firearm Injuries: A Narrative Review of the Literature

“…They are frequently fatal in 66–90% of cases with 71% of patients dying at the scene [1–3]. Low-kinetic cranial injuries associated with nonpowder firearms present with different aetiologies, causing different mechanisms of injury, and have been less extensively studied [4]. In the USA, nonpowder firearm injuries have long been recognised as a public health concern, particularly in children [5].…”

Current and Future Applications of Biomedical Engineering for Proteomic Profiling: Predictive Biomarkers in Neuro-Traumatology

“…The clinical spectrum of TBI can range from mild injuries, such as asymptomatic sub-concussive blows or symptomatic concussion, to more severe conditions leading to a comatose state. The most common cause for severe TBI is certainly represented by road traffic accidents, falls, and penetrating gunshot injuries; nonetheless also practicing popular sports, such as American football, ice hockey, boxing, martial arts, rugby, and even soccer, horse riding, or parachuting, carries a significant risk of exposure to mild to severe brain trauma [ 1 , 5 , 6 ].…”