1/18. Traumatic basilar artery occlusion caused by a fracture of the clivus--case report.A 56-year-old man presented with a rare traumatic basilar artery occlusion caused by a fracture of the clivus. He fell from the height of 2 meters and immediately fell into a coma. head computed tomography (CT) revealed an open depressed fracture, an acute epidural hematoma 1 cm thick in the left middle frontal fossa, and a longitudinal fracture of the clivus. Emergency removal of the hematoma was performed with cranioplasty. head CT 8 hours 50 minutes after injury showed infarctions in the brain stem, cerebellum, and occipital lobes. cerebral angiography revealed occlusion of the basilar artery in the middle part of the clivus. The patient died after 3 days. autopsy revealed that the basilar artery was trapped in the clivus fracture site. Vertebrobasilar artery occlusion due to trapping in a clivus fracture has a very poor prognosis. diagnosis is difficult and generally only confirmed at autopsy. cerebral angiography is recommended in a patient in a deep coma without massive brain contusion at the early stage of head injury to identify the possibility of vertebrobasilar artery occlusion in a clivus fracture.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/18. A case of traumatic globe luxation.We observed a case of traumatic globe luxation. A 26-year-old man who was sitting at the back seat of the car without fastening his safety belt was admitted to the emergency room after an automobile accident. He was in semi-comatose condition. His left globe was dislocated anteriorly, and the lids were tightly closed behind it. No laceration was observed in cornea, sclera and extraocular muscles. The pupil was dilated and did not respond to light stimulation. Computerized tomography scan analysis revealed a normal optic nerve, but multiple fractures in the nasal, inferior and temporal walls of the orbit and in the nasal bone. Phthisis of the eye was detected by the end of second month. We believe that the back seats of automobiles should also be furnished with air bags for better security of passengers.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/18. Closed head injury complicated by nonketotic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar coma.A case of nonketotic hyperglycemic hyperosmolar coma occurring in a patient with closed head injury and basilar skull fracture is reported. The metabolic abnormality masqueraded as a progression of central transtentorial herniation due to cerebral edema. It is suggested that the development of this complication is related to various predisposing factors normally employed in cases of critically ill, neurologically compromised patients. The anatomic lesions found at autopsy were considered inappropriate as a cause of death; the occurrence of central transtentorial herniation three days before death had been reversed. An awareness of this syndrome is emphasized in considering patients receiving steroids, mannitol, tube feedings, Dilantin, and dehydrative measures as part of their care.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/18. Prefabricated galeal flap based on superficial temporal and posterior auricular vessels.scalp layers are widely used in reconstructive procedures. The authors used prefabricated galeal flaps based on the superficial temporal or postauricular vessels for ear, cheek, mandible, and cranium reconstructions in three cases. In case 1, synchronous beard and ear reconstructions were accomplished by using the temporoparietal and retroauricular flaps. In case 2, a buccomandibular defect was reconstructed by transposing the supra-auricular and retroauricular galea with prefabricated bone and skin. In case 3, an epidural hematoma in the left frontoparietal area was evacuated after a circular craniectomy. The harvested bone was not put back on the defect area but buried between the periosteal and galeal layers because of brain edema. These layers were raised as an osteogaleoperiosteal flap and transposed onto the defect area after 7 weeks. When used with a prefabrication method, scalp layers offer versatile options for repairing composite defects of the head region. A galeal flap based on the posterior auricular vessels is practical and reliable in reconstructive procedures. The authors suggest that this flap is an option in cases in which the temporoparietal fascia artery or the superficial temporal artery is not available. Prefabrication of the harvested cranial bone inside the adjacent tissues offers several advantages in that a viable bone is provided at the end of the procedure, intervention at a distant area is avoided, the graft is placed on osteogenic tissue (periosteum) that is also transposed onto the defect, and sophisticated procedures such as microsurgical techniques are not needed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/18. A sinonasal primary Ewing's sarcoma.Nasal fractures are a common complaint familiar to all otolaryngologists. Sinonasal primary Ewing's sarcomas are extremely rare. The case of a 9-year-old boy is presented whose nasal fracture and subsequent lateral nasal wall hematoma revealed an underlying Ewing's sarcoma. There are several unusual features in the history and clinical course of this patient. Following biopsies, immunohistochemistry proved essential in distinguishing a Ewing's sarcoma from other small cell tumours. It is important that a seemingly common condition can be the first presentation of a less common, more sinister pathology.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/18. Prolonged refractory status epilepticus following acute traumatic brain injury: a case report of excellent neurological recovery.INTRODUCTION: Refractory status epilepticus (RSE) secondary to traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be under-recognized and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. methods: This case report describes a 20 year old previously healthy woman who suffered a severe TBI as a result of a motor vehicle collision and subsequently developed RSE. Pharmacological coma, physiological support and continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) were undertaken. RESULTS: Following 25 days of pharmacological coma, electrographic and clinical seizures subsided and the patient has made an excellent cognitive recovery. CONCLUSION: With early identification, aggressive physiological support, appropriate monitoring, including cEEG, and an adequate length of treatment, young trauma patients with no previous seizure history and limited structural damage to the brain can have excellent neurological recovery from prolonged RSE.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/18. Symptomatic plate removal in maxillofacial trauma: a review of 76 cases.This study reviewed the fate of titanium plates used to correct maxillofacial trauma in 76 patients to define risk factors for plate removal. medical records of 76 consecutive patients at a single institution, over a 10-year period, were retrospectively reviewed. Variables included age, sex, trauma type, diagnosis, fracture type, fracture diagnosis, plate location, surgical approach, and reasons for plate removal. Fracture diagnosis was described as panfacial (42%), blowout (3%), midface (28%), zygoma (26%), mandible angle (6%), ramus (7%), and symphysis (9%). All plate removals according to fracture diagnosis were in the mandible angle (30%) and symphysis (20%). When plate location was reviewed, 68% of the plates were placed in the upper and midface and 32% were placed in the mandible. Specifically, plates were placed in the frontozygomatic suture (18%), zygomaticomaxillary suture (19%), infraorbital rim (14%) and mandible symphysis (15%), mandible angle (9%), piriform (6%), nasal (5%), mandible ramus (4%) and body (4%), zygoma (2%), and frontal (2%). Of 163 plates that were placed, 6 plates (3.7%) were removed. Three (12%) of the symphysis plates and 3 (20%) of the angle plates were removed. Among all variables, only fracture diagnosis (P = 0.01) and plate location (P = 0.01) were statistically significant in plate removal. Five plates were removed for abscess/infection; 1 plate was removed for osteomyelitis. Further review revealed that 4 out of 6 plates removed involved synchronous mandible fractures. Most infections after maxillofacial trauma occur in the mandible, and often these infections are the main reason for plate removal. More vigilance is needed in the treatment of mandible angle and symphyseal fractures, especially if there are synchronous fractures, to prevent infection, plate removal and subsequent malunion.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/18. Significance of magnetic resonance imaging in acute head injury.One hundred seventy-seven patients who had incurred head trauma were studied with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). patients varied from those with mild injury without any focal neurological deficit to those with severe injury with post-traumatic coma. Altogether, 177 lesions were demonstrated by MRI in 123 of 177 patients within 3 days of injury using T2-weighted (SE2000/40,2000/111) and T1-weighted (IR1500/500/40) multislice sequences. In contrast, computerized tomography (CT) demonstrated 103 lesions in 90 patients. MRI was superior to CT in the diagnosis of nonhemorrhagic contusions demonstrated as a high-intensity area on T2-weighted imaging. MRI provided some information to evaluate the severity of diffuse axonal injury or to predict delayed traumatic intracerebral hematoma (DTICH).- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/18. Post-traumatic hypopituitarism. Six cases and a review of the literature.The typical patient with post-traumatic hypopituitarism is a young adult male presenting months to years after an automobile accident, following which he was unconscious for several days. He will probably have sustained a fracture of the base of the skull and on recovery is likely to have permanent visual or other neurological sequelae. Temporary or permanent diabetes insipidus may have occurred. The features of panhypopituitarism such as weight loss, fatigue, faintness, loss of libido, and impotence may have been ascribed to depression or the "postconcussion syndrome" and often inappropriate treatment and rehabilitation advised. The striking feature on review of the literature is that the pathological consequences of head injury to the pituitary and hypothalamus have been well described, while only 47 cases of traumatic hypopituitarism have been reported. The most likely reason for this disparity is that head injury of sufficient severity to cause hypothalamic and pituitary damage commonly led to death. More patients now survive, owing to the availability of intensive care; accordingly, most cases have been reported in the last 15 years. However, several patients are described in whom the initiating head injury was not associated with a skull fracture or followed by coma. We recommend that patients with major head injury (defined by post-traumatic amnesia greater than 24 hours), and in particular those with fractures of the base of the skull or diabetes insipidus should be closely monitored for symptoms and signs of endocrine dysfunction and appropriate dynamic pituitary-function tests performed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/18. battered child syndrome in a four year old with previous diagnosis of Reye's syndrome.A 4-year-old Black child was admitted to hospital in coma and with retinal hemorrhages. He was diagnosed as having Reye's Syndrome and remained hospitalized for 1 month. At discharge, he was neurologically compromised with spasticity of the right arm and leg, and could not walk or sit unsupported. Three weeks later he was again seen in the emergency room with a swollen right arm and leg and was subsequently readmitted. Healing fracture of the right femur and probable healing fracture of the right humerus were diagnosed. These were thought to be due to a fall from a stroller. Almost 4 months later, the child died at his home in the care of his mother's boyfriend. autopsy findings were consistent with a severely chronically battered child.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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