In the time spent researching the topic of traumatic brain injuries I have come to the realization that brain injuries come in many different shapes and sizes. Answering the problems associated with a traumatic brain injury (diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, etc) is harder than expected, but has been steadily progressing with the advancement in modern technology and the statistical analysis of individual cases. According to Simon Fleminger MD, author for the Psychiatric Times, traumatic brain injuries are the cause of one-third(1/3) to one-half (1/2) of all trauma deaths, and is the leading cause of disability in people under 40 (Fleminger 2005). The Nation Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) states that, health complications sometimes occur in the period immediately following a TBI. Complications of TBI include immediate seizures, hydrocephalus or post-traumatic ventricular enlargement, CSF leaks, infections, vascular injuries, cranial nerve injuries, pain, bed sores, multiple organ system failure in unconscious patients, and polytrauma (trauma to other parts of the body in addition to the brain) Although complications are rare, the risk increases with the severity of the trauma." (Nih.gov 2013). .
These complications are not types of TBI, but are distinct medical problems that arise as a result of the injury. Polytraumatic injuries can complicate the treatment of and recovery from the TBI, and requires immediate and specialized care. Other medical complications that may accompany a TBI include pulmonary dysfunction (lungs); gastrointestinal dysfunction; fluid and hormonal imbalances (CSF buildup of leakage); and other isolated complications, such as fractures, nerve injuries, deep vein coagulation/ excessive blood clotting, and of course, infections (Nih.gov 2013). After stabilizing the patient and the time come for a composite approach, the rehabilitation methodology becomes difficult, but not impossible, to prognos due to our ignorance of the brain.
