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The Nature, Distribution and Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury
D.I. Graham,
J. Hume Adams,
J.A.R. Nicoll,
W.L. Maxwell,
T.A. Gennarelli,
Corresponding Author
D.I. Graham
University Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Corresponding author: Dr. David I. Graham, University Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, G51 4TF, UK Tel. +44 141 201 2113; Fax +44 141 201 2998Search for more papers by this authorJ. Hume Adams
University Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Search for more papers by this authorJ.A.R. Nicoll
University Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Search for more papers by this authorW.L. Maxwell
Laboratory of Human Anatomy, IBLS, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Search for more papers by this authorT.A. Gennarelli
Division of Neurosurgery, Center for Neurosciences, Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, USA
Search for more papers by this authorD.I. Graham,
J. Hume Adams,
J.A.R. Nicoll,
W.L. Maxwell,
T.A. Gennarelli,
Corresponding Author
D.I. Graham
University Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Corresponding author: Dr. David I. Graham, University Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, G51 4TF, UK Tel. +44 141 201 2113; Fax +44 141 201 2998Search for more papers by this authorJ. Hume Adams
University Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Search for more papers by this authorJ.A.R. Nicoll
University Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Search for more papers by this authorW.L. Maxwell
Laboratory of Human Anatomy, IBLS, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Search for more papers by this authorT.A. Gennarelli
Division of Neurosurgery, Center for Neurosciences, Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, USA
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The identification and interpretation of brain damage resulting from a non-missile head injury is often not easy with the result that the most obvious structural damage identified postmortem may not be the most important in trying to establish clinico-pathological correlations. For example patients with a fracture of the skull, quite severe cerebral contusions or a large intracranial haematoma that is successfully treated can make an uneventful and complete recovery if no other types of brain damage are present. However, not infrequently more subtle forms of pathology are present and ones that can only be identified microscopically. A systematic and pragmatic approach through the autopsy is therefore required and one that recognises the need for tissue to be retained in ways that are appropriate for cellular and molecular studies.
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