[Crushing head injuries: report of six cases]

No Shinkei Geka. 1999 Jun;27(6):557-61.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

We report 6 cases of crushing head injuries produced by static loading forces, which are defined as those that occur over a longer period of time (> 200 ms) and are applied over a large area. Patients ranged in age from 4 to 53 years. There were five male and one female. The causes of injuries in 5 cases were industrial accidents. In one case, the patient's head was run over by a motor vehicle in a parking lot. Glasgow Coma Scale scores ranged from 3 to 12. Three patients had cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea and rhinorrhea. Computed tomograms showed multiple calvarial and basilar cranial fractures, as well as intracranial hematomas, pneumocephalus and diffuse cerebral swelling. In 4 cases, fatal compressive brain damage occurred. Compression of the skull beyond a certain degree causes damages to the brain itself and the great vessels through cerebral compression. We consider that this damage may contribute to mortality in such injuries.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Occupational
  • Accidents, Traffic
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Compressive Strength
  • Craniocerebral Trauma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed