7. • Traumatic brain injury is graded as mild, moderate, or severe
on the basis of the level of consciousness or Glasgow coma
scale (GCS) .
Classification
7
8. • Head Injuries are commonly the basis of Occurrence categorized
(a) primary damage, mechanical damage
(b) secondary damage, delayed non-mechanical damage
Classification
8
9. • TBI are the basis of location classified as
(a) focal brain damage
(b) diffuse brain damage
Classification
9
12. • The first stage of the pathophysiological cascade
Direct tissue damage impairedDirect tissue damage impaired
regulation ofregulation of
CBF and metabolismCBF and metabolism
Direct tissue damage impairedDirect tissue damage impaired
regulation ofregulation of
CBF and metabolismCBF and metabolism ‘‘Ischaemia-like’ patternIschaemia-like’ pattern‘‘Ischaemia-like’ patternIschaemia-like’ pattern
Accumulation of lactic acidAccumulation of lactic acidAccumulation of lactic acidAccumulation of lactic acidIncreased membraneIncreased membrane
permeabilitypermeability
Increased membraneIncreased membrane
permeabilitypermeability
Oedema formationOedema formationOedema formationOedema formation
General pathophysiology of TBI
12
13. • The second stage of the pathophysiological cascade
General pathophysiology of TBI
13
14. Specific pathophysiology of TBI
Cerebral blood flow:
•Studies in laboratory animals and humans have investigated
the effects of TBI on CBF .
•CBF α CPP
•CPP = MAP – ICP
14
15. Specific pathophysiology of TBI
ischemic Uncoupling
CBF and
metabolism
Increase ICP
Decrease
CPP
Decrease
CBF
15
16. Cerebral vasospasm :
•Vasospasm occurs in more than one-third of patients with
TBI and indicates severe damage to the brain .
•Hypoperfusion occurs in 50% of all patients developing
vasospasm.
Specific pathophysiology of TBI
16
17. Specific pathophysiology of TBI
depolarization
of vascular
smooth muscle
reduced
nitric oxide
prostaglandin
cyclic GMP
depletion
Release
endothelin
vasospasm
The mechanisms by which
vasospasm occurs
17
18. Cerebral metabolic dysfunction
•Cerebral metabolism and cerebral energy state frequently
reduced after TBI .
•The reduction in post-traumatic cerebral metabolism relates to
intramitochondrial Ca2+
overload , the mitochondrial dysfunction
with reduced ATP-production and reduced availability of the
nicotinic co-enzyme pool .
Specific pathophysiology of TBI
18
19. release of excitatory
neurotransmitter
release of excitatory
neurotransmitter
over-
stimulation of receptor
over-
stimulation of receptor
CaCa2+2+
, Na, Na++
, and, and
KK++
-fluxes-fluxes
CaCa2+2+
, Na, Na++
, and, and
KK++
-fluxes-fluxes
trigger catabolic
processes
trigger catabolic
processes
increases Na+
K+
ATPase
activity
increases Na+
K+
ATPase
activity
flow–metabolism
uncoupling
flow–metabolism
uncoupling
Specific pathophysiology of TBI
Excitotoxicity
19
20. Oxidative stress
•Oxidative stress relates to the generation of reactive
oxygen species in response to TBI .
•The excessive production of reactive oxygen species due to
excitotoxicity and exhaustion of the endogenous antioxidant
system .
•Reactive oxygen species induces peroxidation of cellular and
vascular structures, protein oxidation, cleavage of DNA, and
inhibition of the mitochondrial electron transport chain .
Specific pathophysiology of TBI
20
21. Oedema
Specific pathophysiology of TBI
Cytotoxic brain
oedema
increased cell membrane
permeability for ions, ionic
pump failure due to energy
depletion
Vasogenic brain
oedema
functional breakdown of
the endothelial cell
layer
Increase ICP
21
22. Inflammation
•Damage to the endothelium of blood vessels is a known
pathway for initiation of inflammation .
•Both primary and secondary insults activate the release of
cellular mediators including proinflammatory cytokines,
prostaglandins and free radicals .
•Proinflammatory enzymes such as tumour necrosis factor,
interleukin-1-ß, and interleukin-6 are upregulated within hours
from injury.
Specific pathophysiology of TBI
22
23. Necrosis vs apoptosis
• Necrosis occurs in response to severe mechanical or
ischaemic/ hypoxic tissue damage with excessive release of
excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters and metabolic failure.
•The nature of apoptosis generally requires energy supply and
imbalance between naturally occurring pro- and anti-apoptotic
proteins.
•Caspases have been idientified as the most important
mediators of programmed cell death.
Specific pathophysiology of TBI
23
24. References
• Werner, C., & Engelhard, K. (2007). Pathophysiology of
traumatic brain injury. British journal of anaesthesia, 99(1), 4-
9.
• Mustafa, Ayman G., and Othaman A. Alshboul.
"Pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury." Neurosciences
18.3 (2013): 222-234.
• Prins, Mayumi, et al. "The pathophysiology of traumatic brain
injury at a glance." Disease models and mechanisms 6.6
(2013): 1307-1315.
24