ICU’s (Intensive Care Unit) Part in Brain Injury Care

ICU Brain Injury Care

Once the patient is stabilized and the pertinent tests are run and evaluated the patient will be transferred to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit).  It is important for anyone suffering a head injury and traumatic brain injury to be closely monitored especially for the first 24 hours.  Whether the patient is in a coma or has regained consciousness will depend on the kind of machines and equipment they will be hooked up to.

Because the brain coordinates all the bodies functions, brain injury may cause the brain not to perform the way it suppose to and all bodily systems may not function correctly.  For instance, if the patient is having trouble breathing, the patient will be hooked up to a respirator.  If the patient is in a coma, bodily functions such as urination will have to be assisted by a catheter to add in urination.  Almost always the patient will have IV’s for fluids to keep the body hydrated and electrolytes stable.  There are many more machines and equipment that may aid the patient.   There is some of the equipment that will monitor brain activity and response.  This is extremely important in the case of brain injury.  A GI tube may be inserted to provide nutrition to the body for those that are in a coma and are unable to eat.  All of this equipment is necessary to keep the body functioning properly.  For a detailed list and guide to ICU equipment click here.

When seeing your loved one hooked up to all of this equipment it can be devastating.  You have to keep in mind that being in the ICU is the only place that they are monitored 24 hours a day and the staff is trained to watch over your loved one and make sure they have the best chance of recovery.

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Gordon Johnson

Attorney Gordon Johnson is one of the nations leading brain injury advocates. He is Past-Chair of the TBILG, a national group of more than 150 brain injury advocates. He has spoken at numerous brain injury seminars and is the author of some of the most read brain injury web pages on the internet.

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