Definitions Related to Traumatic Brain Injury

Brain injuries are complex medical matters and medical professionals may use many technical terms to describe or classify an injury and its effects. The following are some brief definitions of terms commonly used regarding brain injuries.

Acquired Brain Injury

Any brain injury that occurs after birth and is not degenerative, congenital, or hereditary. Acquired brain injuries can be caused by traumatic events, tumors, stroke, anoxia or hypoxia, infections, poisoning, and more.

Akinetic Mutism

This is a state of consciousness that may result from a brain injury that leaves a victim unable to speak and unable to move. This is not due to paralysis, as victims describe they do not have the will to control movement.

Anoxic Event

This occurs when a person’s brain in completely deprived of oxygen for a period of time, usually resulting in brain injury. A partial deprivation of oxygen is called hypoxia.

Brain Death

Brain death is a diagnosis when a victim has an irreversible and complete loss of functioning in the brain.

Closed Head Injury

This occurs when brain tissue is damaged with no skull penetration. Common causes are blows to the head or forceful shaking or jolting of the head.

Contusion

This is a bruise on the brain, which causes bleeding into the brain tissue.

Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury

An injury in which the part of the brain right below impact is damaged, as well as the part of the brain on the opposite from reverberation inside the skull.

Coma

Coma is a state in which the victim lacks consciousness, does not have a sleep and wake cycle, is unresponsive, and is unable to control any actions voluntarily. Coma often results from moderate to severe brain injuries and can last a few days or can be permanent.

Locked-In Syndrome

This condition can result from a brain injury when the pons is damaged in the brain, eliminating the ability for voluntary muscle movement. Though a victim can think and is completely aware, they cannot speak or move.

Minimally Responsive State

This is another state of consciousness that may result from a brain injury, in which a person is awake though has limited awareness and responsiveness.

Open or Penetrating Head Injury

Unlike a closed head injury, an open or penetrating injury results when an object passes through the skull and into the brain tissue.

Secondary Injury

This is injury to cells and tissue that results from the initial brain injury. Secondary injuries can include:

Intracranial hemorrhage;
High intracranial pressure;
Infection in the skull;
Increased fluid in the skull;
Swelling of the brain;
Infection; and

Traumatic Brain Injury

A disruption or change in brain function resulting from a direct or indirect external force.

Vegetative State

A state of consciousness in which a person is awake but unaware of their surroundings or self.

These are only some of the complex terms that may be used in a brain injury case. If you have sustained a brain injury and need legal assistance, please call a Baltimore and Washington D.C. brain injury attorney at Brain Injury Counsel today.