Case

A 16 year old patient is admitted after having been struck in the face just superior to the eyes during hockey practice. The patient is awake and talking but complaining of severe head pain near his forehead associated with soft tissue bruising. The patient also has blood coming from their right nose.

 

Question 2/3 - What brain region is at most risk?

Click on your selected option(s) below  (correct = 1, over-thinking = 2+)

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Correct! The frontal lobe is directly posterior to the frontal bone, thus an injury to the frontal bone may have injured frontal lobe tissues.

Incorrect. The temporal lobe is lateral and inferior, unlikely to be directly inured in this patient.

Incorrect, but has some nuance.  Occipital is not at highest risk, but there is the possibility for injury there with this mechanism (which we will cover later in the course)

 An injury to the anterior skull can generate what is called a coup-countercoup injury, where the brain 'sloshes' in the direction of the blow and rebounds off the opposite interior side of the cranial cavity.  Thus, a frontal impact can result in secondary injury to the opposite side of the brain from this countercoup mechanism, typically with lesser severity than the primary impact.

Incorrect. The parietal lobes are to the middle regions of the brain under the parietal bone plates. These are intact from the CT reconstruction so injury here is less likely.

Incorrect. The cerebellum is to the posterior and inferior region of the brain, distant from this injury site.