...Bacterial meningitis occurs when the protective lining around the brain and spinal cord, called the meninges, becomes infected by a virus, fungus, or bacteria. While viral infections are the most common cause of meningitis, bacteria is often the most severe etiology. If left untreated, meningitis can be fatal, causing inflammation and swelling around the brain. This increases intracranial pressure, which can lead to stroke, seizures, or herniation of the brain into the foramen magnum. The proximity of the infection to the brain and spinal cord means the early detection and treatment of bacterial meningitis is crucial in treatment of patients. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of bacterial meningitis through the use of pertinent,...
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...Mira LaVergne Mrs. Angie Herbert English II 14 March 2012 Chiari Malformation To say the human brain is complex is an understatement. Simply laughing requires help from five different areas of the brain. Nursing Assistant Central 4. Dr. Choug Bui’s procedure for Chiari Malformation is better because he uses the body’s own tissue instead of synthetic materiel. In the normal brain Attached to the brain stem is the cerebellum. It looks a lot like a cauliflower. The cerebellum controls movement and balance. It is important with the coordation of the body and the body’s equilibrium. The brain stem starts out at brain and continues throughout the body’s spine; which advent ally turns into the spinal cord. The brain stem is what makes the body alive. Its sends signals throughout the body, most importantly to the body’s main organs. It also regulates the body’s consciousness. The spine contains 26 bones, 24 are vertebrates. Vertebrates are the main part of the spine. The spine is divided into 5 parts: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx. When compared to the normal human brain, the Chiari Malformation is clearly different. This Malformation was discovered by Hans Chiari in 1819. Hewitt and Gabata 4. It is a rare, but serious neurological condition. Labuda 20. Chiari Malformation is where the cerebellum descends out into the spinal canal. Labuda 20. It is a progressive condition. Mayo Clinic Staff. It forms a lot of compression with cerebellum and the skull. “Chiari...
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...Chapter 22 Through what area does the cerebrospinal fluid circulate around the brain and spinal cord? in the subarachnoid space Which is the usual location of language centers? left hemisphere What would be the effect of damage to the auditory association area in the left hemisphere? inability to understand what is heard Which applies to corticospinal tract? it is a pyramidal tract for efferent impulses What is a major function of the limbic system? determines emotional responses Where are beta-1 adrenergic receptors located? cardiac muscle What does a vegetative state refer to? depression of the RAS and inability to initiate action Which is NOT part of the criteria for a declaration of "brain death"? presence of any head injury What is the best definition of aphasia? inability to comprehend or express language appropriately What is an early indicator of increased intracranial pressure? decreasing responsiveness What is the rationale for vomiting with increased intracranial pressure? pressure on the emetic center in the medulla What is the typical change in blood pressure with increased intracranial pressure? increasing pulse pressure A brain tumor causes a headache because the tumor stretches the meninges and blood vessels wall Which of the following causes papilledema? increased pressure of CSF at the optic disc What is the effect of an enlarging brain abscess on cardiovascular activity? systemic vasoconstriction and...
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...Equipment should be at bedside in case of respiratory arrest. Bag-valve mask ventilation is recommended as the child’s respiratory secretions contain bacteria. Stimulation may encourage spontaneous respirations; if not, ventilation is necessary. Calling for emergency resuscitation ensures help in managing the child in a timely manner. The apneic child may have bradycardia resulting from cardiac hypoxia. The child’s respiratory failure is easily managed with prompt assessment and treatment. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Monitor heart rate and perform compressions if necessary. ■ 2. Risk for Injury related to infection of cerebrospinal fluid and potential sequelae NIC Priority Intervention: Complication Monitoring: Evaluation of fever, shock, and consciousness responses to bacterial infection of the meninges. The child will suffer minimal CNS injury secondary to infection. ■ NOC Suggested Outcome: Risk Control: Actions to eliminate or reduce actual...
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...partition of circulating blood from the brain extracellular fluid in the central nervous system. It arises along all the capillaries and comprises of tight junctions close to capillaries which is not present in normal circulation. The blood–brain barrier is composed of high-density cells restricting passage of substances from the bloodstream much more than endothelial cells in capillaries elsewhere in the body. Astrocyte cell projections called astrocytic feet (also known as glia limitans) surround the endothelial cells of the blood–brain barrier, offering biochemical aid to those cells. The blood–brain barrier is different from the pretty similar blood–cerebrospinal-fluid barrier, which is a role of the choroidal cells of the choroid plexus, and from the blood–retinal barrier, which can be believed to be a part of the entire dominion of such barriers. Numerous regions of the human brain are not on the brain side of the blood–brain barrier. These comprise circumventricular organs. Example include: the top of the third and fourth ventricles; capillaries in pineal gland on the roof of diencephalon and pineal gland. The pineal gland secretes the hormone melatonin "directly into the systemic circulation". Therefore, melatonin is not affected by the blood–brain barrier. The blood–brain barrier works very efficiently to defend the brain from numerous common bacterial infections, infections of the brain rare. Infections of the brain occur are very serious and difficult to treat. Antibodies...
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...cases per 100,000 in Africa, and the lowest death rates were 3 cases per 100,000 in Europe and Western Pacific regions. (Hom, 2009) Bacterial meningitis more frequently occurs in black and Hispanic children. This is thought to be related to socioeconomic rather than racial factors The brain and spinal cord are remarkably resistant to infection, but when they become infected, the consequences are usually very serious. Infections may be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and occasionally protozoa or parasites. The most common type of CNS infection is Bacterial Meningitis which is characterized by inflammation of the meninges, the membranes lining the brain and spinal cord. (Hom, 2009. Almost any bacteria entering the body can cause meningitis. The most common are meningococci (Neisseria meningitidis), pneumococci (Streptococcus pneumonia), and Haemophilus influenza. Thtese organisms are often present in the nasopharynx. S. pneumonia and N. meningitides are found most often in adults. Factors predisposing to bacterial meningitis include any circumstance where the dura has been compromised, such as open brian injry or brain surgery, systemic infection, anatomic defects of the skull, immunocompromise, and other systemic illnesses. Close quarters, poor hygiene, and malnutrition also place people at risk. THE BRAIN HAS 3 PROTECTIVE...
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...and communication of the body. Often times, people who survive an attack from meningitis suffer from neurological damage including brain damage, hearing loss, and learning disabilities. In some cases, people would recover from meningitis, but their brain just isn’t the same and there could be possible affects in the future of the person. One survivor of meningitis, because of the damage meningitis did to their brain, would go mentally insane after a certain time. Meningitis is described as the inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord (the meninges). The meninges have several functions including: to cover and protect the CNS (Central Nervous System), protect blood vessels and enclose venous sinuses, contain cerebrospinal fluid, and form partitions in the skull. The meninges are made up of the dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater. At the beginning stages of meningitis, the symptoms are three things: fever, headache, and stiff neck (all must be included for a case of meningitis). Nauseas and vomiting are the next symptoms. The meningitis eventually progresses into convulsions and coma. Convulsions are irregular movements of the limbs or body, practically a seizure and a coma is a state of prolongs unconsciousness. Meningitis is typically a viral disease, but there are many types of meningitis including: bacterial, fungal, parasitic, amebic, and non-infectious. Meningitis is caused by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. When preventing...
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...CNS Defects Assignment Hydrocephalus is a condition that can be either congenital or acquired. This is a medical condition indicated by an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the brain. The Greek break down of the word is hydro meaning water and cephalous meaning head. This water is actually cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a clear fluid that is found in the spinal canal and surrounding the brain. Excess fluid on the brain can be potentially fatal to the person if not caught in time. When the flow of CSF is restricted it is depicted as hydrocephalus. This condition occurs in an estimated one out of every 1500 births. “Hydrocephalus is a collection of a heterogeneous complex and multifactorial disorders” (Zhang, Williams, Rigamonti, 2006, p. 1256)....
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...and produce clinical symptoms due to mass effect or obstructive hydrocephalus. The mechanism of progressive enlargement of arachnoid cysts is controversial. A one-way slit or ball valve is often hypothesized as the mechanism responsible for enlargement. Clinical Presentation: We present four cases of communicating congenital suprasellar prepontine arachnoid cysts in which a slit-valve was identified in the wall of the cyst. All four patients presented with hydrocephalus due to enlargement of the arachnoid cyst. The slit valve was located in the arachnoid wall of each arachnoid cyst and was located in the midline directly over the main trunk of the basilar artery. We believe this slit valve was responsible for the net influx of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into the cyst and thus responsible for cyst enlargement over time. We also present one case of an arachnoid cyst in the middle cranial fossa that had a small circular opening in the wall of the cyst but lacked a slit-valve. This cyst did not enlarge and required surgery because of cyst wall rupture and the development of a subdural hygroma with headaches. Conclusion: One-way slit-valves exist and are the mechanism of enlargement of suprasellar prepontine arachnoid cysts. The location of the slit valve opening in each of our arachnoid cyst cases was directly over the basilar artery trunk. Caudal to rostral CSF flow in the prepontine cistern during the cardiac cycle lifted the arachnoid wall of the cyst off the basilar trunk...
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...included an easy second case study which, if you complete it, will be worth extra credit. Answers to the first Case Study are worth 25 points and responding to Case Study 1 is required work for the course. The extra credit, which is not required, will be worth a total of 10 points. Both are due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. Case 1 M.G. is an 8-year-old boy who has been brought to the emergency department by his parents with a fever of 104º F, lethargy, headache, and stiff neck. Laboratory analysis of a spinal tap demonstrates increased white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Discussion Questions 1. What is the most likely cause of M.G.’s signs and symptoms? What is the origin and pathogenesis? What other laboratory findings would be consistent with this etiology? * Meningitis is the likey cause. Usually a bacterial infection. 2. What are common complications of this disorder, and how would one assess for their occurrence? 3. What is the usual treatment for this disorder? Case 2 J.S. is a 72-year-old woman with a long history of atherosclerosis. One afternoon, her grandson found her sitting in a chair staring blankly into space. She was leaning to the right, drooling, and had been incontinent of urine. She was able to focus her eyes on him when he spoke to her, but she was unable to verbalize a response. She was transported to the local hospital and diagnosed with a stroke. Discussion Questions ...
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...confusion. Mr. Drake had a physical examination done and he is suffering (encephalitis) inflammation of the brain tissue. Mr. Drake was given fluids through the IV to treat the infection around the brain tissue. Mr. Drake was placed on medication through the IV. Because of the severeness of his illness, Mr. Drake went into a light comatose state which only allowed tactile and verbal stimuli (response), but was unconscious. So a tube was placed through the nostril for feeding purposes. After 14 days of fluid injection through the IV Mr. Drake was slowly back to normal. PART 2. 1. Meningitis is swelling of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. There are different types of meningitis, but most are caused by viruses or bacteria. Viral meningitis can make you very sick but it often doesn’t have lingering effects. Bacterial meningitis is more serious. It progresses rapidly and can cause permanent damage or even become life-threatening. CT scans of the head may reveal swelling or inflammation. These tests can also help your doctor look for infection in other areas of the body that may be associated with meningitis. Spinal tap (lumbar puncture). The definitive diagnosis of meningitis requires an analysis of your cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is collected during a procedure known as a spinal tap. In people with meningitis, the CSF fluid often shows a low sugar (glucose) level along with an increased white blood cell count and increased protein. CSF analysis may also help your...
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...Chapter 8 The Nervous System 1. Terms 1. Encephalitis—The inflammation of the brain or spinal coed tissue largely caused by a virus that enters the CNS when the person experiences a viral disease such as measles or mumps or through the bite of a mosquito or tick. 2. Hydrocephalus—An abnormal increase of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain that causes the ventricles of the brain to dialate, resulting in an increased head circumference in the infant with open fontanel(s); a congenital disorder. 3. Neuralgia—Severe, sharp spasmlike pain tht extends along the course of one or more nerves. 4. Narcolepsy—Uncontrolled, sudden attacks of sleep. 5. Dysphagia—difficult speech. 2. Pathologial Conditions 1. Anencephaly—An absence of the brain and spinal cord at birth, a congenital disorder. 2. Bell’s palsy—A temporary or permanent unilateral weakness or paralysis of the muscles in the face following trauma to the face, and unknown infection, or a tumor pressing on the facial nerve rendering it paralyzed. 3. Carpal tunnel syndrome—A pinching or compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel due to inflammation and swelling of the tendons, causing intermittent or continuous pain that is greatest at night. 4. Cerebral concussion—A brief interruption of brain function, usually with a loss of consciousness lasting for a few hours. 5. Cerebral contusion--a small, scattered venous hemorrhage in the brain (or better described as a “bruise”...
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...strike and the impact of that strike can forever last a lifetime. Meningitis is the inflammation and infection of the meninges that surround your brain and spinal cord. It can cause the tissues around the brain to swell and could be life threatening. In this research paper I will discuss the different kinds of meningitis and how they affect you. Meningitis is a dangerous infection because the brain is so delicate and fragile. Meningitis can advance very quickly because of the infection around the brain and spinal cord. This infection can be bacterial, viral or fungal. People and children under the age of 20 are at a higher risk. The antibiotics given are very strong and powerful and often can...
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...the joint 2. Meningitis- inflammation of the membrane, brain and spinal cord 3. Myelitis – inflammation of the spinal cord Arthritis is inflammation of the joint and it is used in a medical environment every day. Let’s say a 70 year old comes in with knee pain her knees are swelling and pain that she can barely walk. The doctor will ask a series of question then he would start to run testes like draw fluid from the knee and do x-rays to see what type of arthritis the patient have. Your regular doctor may use the term arthritis because they can give the patient medicine for inflammation and pain if the pain persist (U.S. National Library of Medicine - The World's Largest Medical Library, 2012) the patient will have to see a specialist. Meningitis is inflammation of the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord it is used in a medical environment rarely. If a 5 year old comes to the doctor with symptoms like vomiting, headache, and neck stiffness the doctor will ask question how long have she had these symptoms and run testes like cerebrospinal fluid, check the brain, and C- reactive protein to see what kind of meningitis it is. The hospital use the term meningitis or the patient primary doctor if the patient need further testing they will recommend a specialist. Myelitis is inflammation of the spinal cord. It’s used in a medical environment if a 25 year old comes in with tingling, pain, or loss of feeling. The doctor will run testes they will do a spinal...
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...The day that changed my life It was a phone call from the hospital in S.C to my mom back in MI that changed my life forever. I was 18 years old newly married, traveling around the states with my husband for his job I was in Greenville, S.C. when one of my usual migraines started. Migraines have been a part of my life since the age of 12 so this was not out of the ordinary, until day 3 and no change. We knew something had to be wrong and that’s when the journey to where I am today started. I went to the emergency room to get a Toradol shot as I had before, I explained the situation and the length of the migraine and that when the nurse felt something was more serious than a migraine. I was rushed to the back for an MRI and that when it was seen I had a quarter sized tumor in the center of my brain. They were sending me over to a neurosurgeon to talk about immediate brain surgery the tumor needed to be removed before any further damage was done. I was only a kid all alone with just my husband in a state that we didn’t know a single person and I was being prepped for an overnight stay in the hospital while having to break the news to my mom over the phone. I was admitted at 11 pm and was scheduled to have the surgery at 5 am, after a sleepless night and the hours slowly passing 5 am came and was gone and I had yet to see a nurse or a doctor. A few more hours passed and finally at 3 pm I saw the neurosurgeon who advised that he was releasing me and that he would not be performing...
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