Traumatic Brain Injury

Causes and Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury

Many traumatic brain injuries result from an acquired brain injury (an injury to the brain that occurs after birth):

•  Vehicle accidents
•  Falls
•  Sports injuries
•  Violence

The symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain:

• Headache that does not go away
• One or both pupils dilated
• Speech difficulties (slurred speech, trouble finding words)
• Weak or numb arms or legs
• Coordination issues
• Confusion, restlessness or agitation
• Recurring vomiting or nausea
• Convulsions
• An inability to awaken

Depending on the symptom and the extent of the TBI, these traumatic brain injury symptoms can last an hour, a day, weeks, months or even become permanent.

The following are other serious states of consciousness that can result from a TBI:

• Stupor (impaired consciousness)
• Coma
• Persistent vegetative state
• Brain death
• TBI can also be accompanied by spinal cord injury, where motor signals to and from the brain can become lost.

How Is Traumatic Brain Injury Diagnosed?

In most cases, a traumatic brain injury patient will need to go to the hospital’s emergency room for testing, which may include imaging tests to determine the diagnosis and prognosis of the patient, and to help determine the proper TBI treatment. Tests may also include skull and neck X-rays to determine any bone fractures or spinal damage or a computed tomography (CT) scan.

The new ImPACT Concussion System (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is a computerized test designed to evaluate a concussion victim’s neurocognitive abilities. NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery (NSPC) (NSPC) has ImPACT-certified doctors who can evaluate and determine the safest post-concussion plan for each patient.

What Sets NSPC Apart from Other Neurological Surgery Groups?

Ground-breaking TBI treatment and surgical skill that keep us at the forefront of traumatic brain injury treatment, and expert multidisciplinary teams that provide personalized treatment plans for each of our patients, ensure the best possible outcomes.

At NSPC in Long Island and the greater NY area, we’re dedicated to making great strides in the treatment of traumatic brain injury and its effects on motor signals to and from the brain.

Our renowned neurologists, neurosurgeons and neuropsychologists collaborate to develop a personalized TBI treatment plan that may include expert surgical treatment such as decompressive craniectomy or craniotomy, as well as rehabilitative care to stabilize any medical issues related to the brain injury, prevent secondary complications, restore any lost functional abilities and improve quality of life. Our award-winning treatment centers in the New York area provide expert traumatic brain injury treatment.

How Does NSPC Treat Traumatic Brain Injury?

TBI treatment must begin immediately in order to stabilize patients and focus on preventing further injury. Primary concerns include ensuring proper oxygen supply to the brain and body, maintaining adequate blood flow and controlling blood pressure.

Surgical treatment by one of our neurosurgeons may include decompressive craniectomy, which involves removing a large section of bone so that the brain can swell and expand, or craniotomy, where a hole is expertly cut into the skull to create a bone flap so that the surgeon can access the brain and repair the damage.

Once TBI patients have been stabilized, an individualized treatment plan may involve rehabilitation efforts to teach patients how to cope with their specific injury-related symptoms and recover from any physical deficits.