Biography
Biography: Gibril Ceesay
Abstract
Traumatic​ ​brain​ ​injury​ ​(TBI)​ ​is​ ​a​ ​head​ ​injury​ ​that​ ​may​ ​have​ ​many​ ​different​ ​causes,​ ​including​ ​a blow​ ​or​ ​jolt​ ​to​ ​the​ ​head,​ ​penetration​ ​of​ ​the​ ​skull​ ​by​ ​a​ ​bullet​ ​or​ ​other​ ​foreign​ ​object,​ ​fast acceleration​ ​or​ ​deceleration​ ​of​ ​the​ ​head,​ ​or​ ​exposure​ ​to​ ​a​ ​blast​ ​resulting​ ​in​ ​a​ ​disrupted functioning​ ​of​ ​the​ ​brain.​ ​Primary​ ​brain​ ​injury​ ​occurs​ ​at​ ​the​ ​time​ ​of​ ​injury​ ​and​ ​results​ ​from​ ​the physical​ ​stress​ ​(force)​ ​within​ ​the​ ​tissue​ ​caused​ ​by​ ​open​ ​or​ ​closed​ ​trauma​ ​and​ ​requires​ ​emergency treatment​ ​to​ ​prevent​ ​secondary​ ​injuries.​ ​Secondary​ ​injury​ ​to​ ​brain​ ​injury​ ​includes​ ​any​ ​processes that​ ​occur​ ​after​ ​the​ ​initial​ ​injury​ ​and​ ​worsen​ ​or​ ​negatively​ ​influence​ ​patient​ ​outcomes.​ ​The damage​ ​occurs​ ​primarily​ ​because​ ​the​ ​delivery​ ​of​ ​oxygen​ ​and​ ​glucose​ ​to​ ​the​ ​brain​ ​is​ ​interrupted due​ ​to​ ​hypotension,​ ​hypoxia,​ ​ischemia and​ ​cerebral​ ​edema. ​According​ ​to​ ​research,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​millions​ ​of​ ​people​ ​living​ ​with​ ​a​ ​disability​ ​as​ ​a​ ​result​ ​of a​ ​TBI​ ​around​ ​the​ ​world.​ ​Regardless​ ​of​ ​the​ ​severity​ ​of​ ​brain​ ​damage,​ ​injuries​ ​have​ ​both​ ​short​ ​and long-term​ ​effects​ ​on​ ​health,​ ​ranging​ ​from​ ​symptoms​ ​that​ ​have​ ​a​ ​minimal​ ​interference​ ​on lifestyle,​ ​through​ ​to​ ​emotional,​ ​physical​ ​and​ ​psychosocial​ ​changes​ ​that​ ​may​ ​affect​ ​daily activities.​ In addition​ ​to​ ​the​ ​burden​ ​to​ ​the​ ​individual,​ ​brain​ ​injuries​ ​also​ ​have​ ​an​ ​annual economic​ ​burden​ ​on​ ​society,​ ​due​ ​to​ ​both​ ​direct​ ​and​ ​indirect​ ​costs,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​loss​ ​of​ ​productivity. The​ ​age​ ​of​ ​the​ ​individual​ ​is​ ​a​ ​factor​ ​in​ ​brain​ ​injury;​ ​for​ ​example,​ ​more​ ​than​ ​one-third​ ​of​ ​brain injuries​ ​are​ ​due​ ​to​ ​people​ ​falling,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​the​ ​leading​ ​cause​ ​of​ ​TBI​ ​among​ ​the​ ​elderly, whereas transportation-related​ ​brain​ ​injuries​ ​are​ ​the​ ​leading​ ​cause​ ​for​ ​individuals​ ​aged​ ​15​ ​to​ ​30. Studies​ ​have​ ​shown​ ​that​ ​the​ ​decreased​ ​in​ ​mortality​ ​rate​ ​and​ ​improved​ ​outcome​ ​for patients​ ​with​ ​severe​ ​traumatic​ ​brain​ ​injury​ ​can​ ​be​ ​attributed​ ​to​ ​the​ ​approach​ ​of​ ​“squeezing oxygenated​ ​blood​ ​through​ ​a​ ​swollen​ ​brain”.​ According​ ​to​ ​research​ ​adequate​ ​cerebral​ ​perfusion by​ ​monitoring​ ​of​ ​intracranial​ ​pressure​ ​and​ ​treatment​ ​of​ ​cerebral​ ​hypo-perfusion​ ​decrease secondary​ ​injury.​ ​Before​ ​the​ ​individual​ ​with​ ​brain​ ​injury​ ​reaches​ ​a​ ​hospital,​ ​a​ ​structured​ ​trauma system​ ​that​ ​allows​ ​rapid​ ​resuscitation​ ​and​ ​transport​ ​directly​ ​to​ ​an​ ​experienced​ ​trauma​ ​center significantly​ ​lowers​ ​mortality​ ​and​ ​morbidity.​ ​Additionally,​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​achieve​ ​further improvements​ ​in​ ​outcome​ ​for​ ​patients​ ​with​ ​traumatic​ ​brain​ ​injuries,​ ​sufficient​ ​training​ ​and education​ ​of​ ​medical​ ​personnel​ ​and​ ​the​ ​institution​ ​of​ ​trauma​ ​hospital​ ​systems​ ​should​ ​be implemented.