The Early Days after Traumatic Brain Injury | Saving the Brain

When will he wake up? Will he die? Will he return to normal? What will he be like? Will he be able to walk? Talk? Recognize me? When? How long?

We have been asked and have answered these questions many times. The cause for concern is very real after traumatic brain injury. After all, the brain is NOT like a bone that heals readily. Once brain tissue dies, it is gone forever. Thats why an injured patients loved ones deserve utmost sympathy, patience and understanding.

Lucky are those who suffer mild concussions, are fully awake after a brief period, and are sent home after some observation. Lucky are those who wake up after surgery and start recognizing people instantly. But for many severely injured brains, the road to recovery is long and uncertain. No, it is not like the movies, where actors wake up from a coma and resume life like nothing happened. It takes weeks, months, even years for recovery to happen. This entry focuses on the first few days after severe brain injury the critical phase.

After determining the extent of brain injury, many patients need immediate surgery to evacuate blood, clots, dead tissue and unwanted debris that may harm the brain. To save as much brain tissue as possible, any surgery needs to happen as soon as possible. Remember, brain tissue starts to die 4 6 minutes without oxygen.

After brain surgery, patients usually stay in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with a highly trained team, for critical monitoring. How long they stay there depends on their progress.

Families should be aware that many complications can happen after brain surgery. For severe injuries, its rarely a smooth road. So its best to take it one day at a time.

What will he be like? Will there be permanent damage? These questions are dependent on the extent of brain tissue damage. Learn the basics here. But most likely, immediately after the injury, doctors reply with well have to wait and see

Frustrating. But unfortunately, its true. We do not yet know exactly how much of the brain tissue had died, how much of it only got cut off of oxygen and can still heal, and how much of it is temporarily compromised because of swelling.

After any injury (like a broken arm or cut skin), theres bound to be swelling. Brain swelling is called cerebral edema, and can be fatal if not treated promptly. Brain swelling can increase the pressure inside an enclosed skull (intracranial pressure) and compress on other brain structures, causing more tissue death. It is only after the swelling has gone down that we can start to appreciate the extent of damage.

And if you think about it, they all go hand in hand. By reducing swelling, we keep the brain pressure down, which in turn allows space for the blood vessels to supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain.

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The Early Days after Traumatic Brain Injury | Saving the Brain