| reperfusion injury | Functional, metabolic, or structural changes, including necrosis, in ischemic tissues thought to result from reperfusion to ischemic areas of the tissue. The most common instance is myocardial reperfusion injury. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| closed head injury | A head injury in which continuity of the scalp and mucous membranes is maintained. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cold injury | Cold injuries include chilblains, trench foot, and frostbite. Cold injuries occur with and without freezing of body tissues. The young and the elderly are especially prone to cold injury. Alcohol increases the risk of cold injury which can lead to loss of body parts and even to death. It is important not to thaw an extremity if there is a risk of it re-freezing. (12 Dec 1998) |
| whiplash injury | Popular term for hyperextension-hyperflexion injury. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pneumatic tire injury | Separation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue from the underlying fascia, classically occurring when an extremity is crushed and rolled over by the tire of a vehicle but may be incurred through other mechanisms that produce shear forces; may occur particularly in cases of obesity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| contrecoup injury of brain | An injury occurring beneath the skull opposite to the area of impact. (05 Mar 2000) |
| myocardial reperfusion injury | Functional, metabolic, or structural changes in ischemic heart muscle thought to result from reperfusion to the ischemic areas. Changes can be fatal to muscle cells and may include oedema with explosive cell swelling and disintegration, sarcolemma disruption, fragmentation of mitochondria, contraction band necrosis, enzyme washout, and calcium overload. Other damage may include haemorrhage and ventricular arrhythmias. One possible mechanism of damage is thought to be oxygen free radicals. Treatment currently includes the introduction of scavengers of oxygen free radicals, and injury is thought to be prevented by warm blood cardioplegic infusion prior to reperfusion. (12 Dec 1998) |
| coup injury of brain | An injury occurring directly beneath the skull at the area of impact. (05 Mar 2000) |
| current of injury | The current set up when an injured part of a nerve, muscle, or other excitable tissue is connected through a conductor with the uninjured region; the injured tissue is negative to the uninjured. Synonym: demarcation current. (05 Mar 2000) |
| head injury | Refers to a group of head injuries ranging from minor to major. Examples include scalp contusion, scalp haematoma, concussion, brain contusion, skull fracture, epidural haematoma, intracerebral haemorrhage, subarachnoid haemorrhage and subdural haematoma. Features shared by all head injuries (serious and nonserious) include: dizziness, nausea, vomiting, giddiness, sleepiness and headache. More serious features include: protracted vomiting, lethargy, difficulty waking up, loss of consciousness, seizure, confusion, change in mentation or coma. (27 Sep 1997) |
| hyperextension-hyperflexion injury | Violence to the body causing the unsupported head to hyperextend and hyperflex the neck rapidly; does not imply any specific resultant trauma or pathology. (05 Mar 2000) |
| smoke inhalation injury | Pulmonary injury following the breathing in of toxic smoke from burning materials such as plastics, synthetics, building materials, etc. This injury is the most frequent cause of death in burn patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| spinal cord injury | Any injury to the spinal cord via blunt or penetrating trauma. Extreme flexion or extension (particularly in the neck) of the spine can result in traction on the spinal cord with subsequent injury and the development of neurologic symptoms. See: neurologic symptoms. (27 Sep 1997) |
| neck injury | Any injury to the soft tissues or bony structures (cervical spine) of the neck. (27 Sep 1997) |
| steering wheel injury | Trauma to the anterior chest wall caused by impact with the steering wheel during an automobile accident; can include fractured sternum and ribs, cardiac contusion, tear of the aorta or other great vessels, as well as lung injuries. (05 Mar 2000) |