Head trauma. Perioperative nursing implications

1. The highest mortality rate in the adult trauma patient population is among those presenting with acute head trauma and associated multiple trauma. 2. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of head trauma, with alcohol being a primary associated factor. The other major mechanisms of head trauma are falls and assaults. 3. Secondary brain injury is a result of brain swelling and intracranial hemorrhage causing hypoxia and ischemia of the brain tissue. 4. The goals of surgical intervention are to evacuate intracranial hematoma and prevent increases in intracranial pressure.