[Levels of axial lesion in severe head injuries (author's transl)]

Over the past few years considerable amount of clinical syndromes describing brain stem levels of lesion were reported. This work was undertaken to establish, if possible, a simplification of criterions of axial lesions in head injuries. 125 patients with severe head injuries were strictly selected. Statistical analysis of careful examination of clinical pattern was performed and correlated, when possible, with anatomical lesions. Only four homogeneous groups were isolated:--group I represents the cortico-sub-cortical level,--group II représents the diencéphalie level,--group III represents the upper brain stem level with two subdivisions dependent upon the mechanism of herniation : central or uncus,--group IV represents the lower brain stem level.