Brain swelling: as it happens

Content

  • Brain swelling: causes and varieties
  • Symptoms of brain edema
  • Diagnostics of brain edema
  • Treatment of brain edema


  • Brain swelling: causes and varieties

    Brain swelling: as it happensThe head of the brain is a pathological process characterized by excessive accumulation of fluid in brain tissue. Developing the increase in the volume of the brain leads in most cases to an increase in intracranial pressure. For edema of the brain, the accumulation is not as much extracellular fluid, how much increase the volume of water inside the brain cells, primarily glial. In this regard, the term is often used «swelling - brain swelling».

    Brain swelling is tumor, traumatic, postoperative, toxic (intoxication), inflammatory, ischemic and hypertensive. Perhaps the development of brain edema in epileptic seizures, diseases of blood and internal organs, endocrine disorders, hypoxia, the effects of ionizing radiation.

    In the development of cerebral edema, circulatory, vascular and tissue factors take part. Circulatory factors imply on the one hand, a significant increase in blood pressure in the brain capillaries due to increasing the blood pressure and expansion of the brain arteries: the filtering of water from the microcosuds in the intercellular space of the brain increases and its tissue elements are damaged, on the other side, with generalized (general) or local insufficiency of blood supply to the cerebral tissue. Vascular factors - a violation of the permeability of the walls of the brain microsudes, as a result of which the protein molecules and other components of the blood plasma pass through the disturbed barrier into the tissue brain spaces, which not only increases the osmolarity (the number of osmotically active particles) of the intercellular fluid, but also damages the cell membranes by breaking The function of neural brain elements. Fabric factors - primary damage to cell membranes and cytoplasm of brain neurons; At the same time, transportation through the membranes of ions and water, which accumulates inside the cellular elements, primarily glial, causing their swelling.

    In the prevalence allocate local and generalized (covering one or both hemispheses) of brain edema.


    Symptoms of brain edema

    Symptoms of brain edema are associated with an increase in its volume and an increase in intracranial pressure. Predictive headaches of a sawing character appear, at the height of which vomiting can observe, disorder consciousness by stunning, changing the activity of the cardiovascular system. Frequent symptom - disorder of optic nerves.

    At the increase in edema and brain displacement into the cerebellum hole and the largest occipital hole appear the following symptoms: the defeat of the glasses of the nerves (expansion of pupils and a decrease in pupil reactions), parishes or paralysis of the gaze and others. When squeezing the rear brain artery, violation of vision may occur. Vestibular disorders may occur, sudden vomiting, the rigidity of the occipital muscles appears. Possible stop breathing.


    Diagnostics of brain edema

    The diagnosis of edema of the brain is difficult due to the absence of specific clinical and neurological symptoms. The diagnosis is based on data on the main disease, manifestations and results of additional studies (for example, the eye dna). It should be remembered that in the early stages of the edema of the brain can pass asymptomatic.

    In suspected of the patient's brain edema, the patient should urgently hospitalized into the neurosurgical or resuscitation department. Direct diagnostics of brain edema is possible in computed tomography, which allows you to identify a decrease in the density of the brainstant, to evaluate the severity of edema, its prevalence. A valuable diagnostic method is a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, at which the areas of hyperhydration (excessive water) of the brainstant are determined.


    Treatment of brain edema

    Treatment of edema and swelling brain is based on the elimination of its cause, as well as on the removal of excessive amounts of fluid, normalization of the brain circulation and the permeability of the hematorencephalic barrier, the correction of metabolic disorders. Conditionally, you can allocate specific and nonspecific treatment. Nonspecific treatment is aimed at normalizing breathing, cardiac activity, central venous pressure, kidney function, etc., T.E. To eliminate factors contributing to the development of brain edema. Specific treatment is carried out by glucocorticoid hormones (dexamethasone, etc.). Dehydration therapy (fluid decrease), treatment aimed at improving brain blood flow microcirculation. Diuretics, vitamins, gangliblockers, antihypoxants are used, sometimes conduct moderate hypothermia (cooling).

    The forecast is always serious and depends on the severity of the underlying disease, timeliness and adequacy of treatment. With the progressive development of edema, the death of the patient is possible.

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