Page 271 - Critical Care Nursing Demystified

256 CRITICAL CARE NURSING DeMYSTIFIED

Acceleration A moving object strikes the nonmoving head, for example, a baseball
injury bat striking the head or a missile such as a bullet fired into the head
(see Figure 5–7B).
Deceleration Injury is sustained when the head is moving and it strikes a station-
injury ary object such as in a fall or MVA where the moving head strikes
against a dashboard or a windshield (see Figure 5–7B).
Coup/ When the head is struck, the brain moves or shifts inside the cranium
contrecoup bouncing back and forth. If the injury is sustained at the site of the
injuries initial blow or directly beneath the impact, this is known as a coup
injury. If the injury is on the opposite side of the impact or on either
side of the blow, it is known as a contrecoup injury (see Figure 5–7A).
Rotational Occurs when the injured brain twists inside of the skull causing white
brain matter and blood vessels to tear.

A. Coup/contrecoup Downloaded by [ Faculty of Nursing, Chiangmai University 5.62.158.117] at [07/18/16]. Copyright © McGraw-Hill Global Education Holdings, LLC. Not to be redistributed or modified in any way without permission.

B. Acceleration/deceleration

FIGURE 5–7 • (A) Coup/contrecoup and (B) acceleration/deceleration injuries.