What Is an Open Intracranial Wound?

Intracranial (inside of the brain) injury occurs when an outside force penetrates the brain cavity. Also known as open head injury or traumatic brain injury, this wound can cause swelling, bleeding, permanent disability, or death.

Types

• Open head injuries usually affect a specific area of brain tissue. High-velocity injuries (caused by bullets) are associated with more severe damage than low-velocity injuries (caused by knives and weapons)

Causes

• A common cause of intracranial wounds is a skull fracture, where a piece of bone from the skull penetrates the brain. Skull fractures can be caused by a blow to the head, car accidents, a fall, or an athletic injury.

Symptoms

• Severe traumatic brain injuries, like open intracranial wounds, may cause vomiting, convulsions, coma, dilation of pupils, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, and confusion. Head injuries tend to bleed profusely.

Diagnosis

• Brain damage is usually not reversible, so patients receive X-rays or computed tomography scans to check for bone or spine injuries. It is important for them to receive adequate oxygen so no further damage takes place. Medical personnel make sure they have adequate blood flow throughout the body and blood pressure within a normal range.

Treatment

• Patients may need surgery to repair ruptured blood vessels or bruised brain tissue. Patients that survive an open head wound receive several different types of therapies including physical, mental, and occupational therapies.

Survival

• Most persons with a severe open head injury do not survive because the trauma is too great for the body to repair. Many die before they can be taken to a hospital or stabilized while at the hospital. The location of the brain injury can determine the amount of disability a person will have if he or she survives.