Case study based assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Based assignment - Case Study Example choppy herniation through the foramen magnum (back of the skull) is fatal (Kennedy, 2001).Increased ICP is defined as a sustained crown in force per unit area above 20mm of Hg/cm of H20. The craniospinal cavity may be considered as a balloon. During slow increase in volume in a continuous mode, the ICP raises to a plateau take aim at which the increase level of CSF absorption keeps pace with the increase in volume. Intermittent expansion causes altogether a transient rise in ICP at first. When sufficient CSF has been absorbed to accommodate the volume the ICP returns to practice. expansion to a critical volume does however cause persistent raise in ICP, which thereafter increases logarithmically with increasing volume. The ICP finally rises to the level of arterial pressure, which it self begins to increase (Thamburaj, 2004).Raised ICP causes arterial hypertension, bradycardia (Cushings response) and respiratory changes. It is traditional ly accepted that hypertension and bradycardia are due to ischaemia or pressure on the brainstem. There is as well a suggestion that they could be due to removal of supratentorial inhibition of brainstem vasopressor centers due to cerebral ischaemia and that bradycardia is independent of the rise in blood pressure. The respiratory changes depend on the level of brainstem involved. The mesencephalon involvement results in Chyne-Stokes respiration. When midbrain and pons are involved, there is sustained hyperventilation. There is rapid and shoal respiration when upper medulla involvement with ataxic breathing in the final stages. Pulmonary edema seems to be due to increased sympathetic activity as a result of the effects of raise ICP on the hypothalamus, medulla or cervical spinal cord (Thamburaj, 2004).There are observable signs that identify out that Joyce is indeed suffering from increased intracranial pressure. The most significant of which was the dilation of the left eye. It was revealed in the assessment data that Joyces pupil in the left eye is greater than her reclaim eye. This only shows that there is malfunctioning in her internal head part or within the brain, particularly in the unspoiled side of her brain. it should be noted that dilation of the eyes must be equal on some(prenominal) sides as a result of normal functioning inwardly the brain. And because the left eyes pupil is dilated more than the right eye, it can only be assumed that there is a very strong pressure inside the brain, forcing the left eyes pupil to be dilated heavily. Another significant data that shows that the patient is suffering from raised intracranial pressure is her abnormal blood pressure, body temperature and intracranial pressure rates. All of these three aspects are beyond and/or under the normal limit of an average person. Joyces blood pressure is very low (the normal blood pressure is 110/70 - 120/80). This could only mean that there is something wrong in her blood circulation which can be affected by the electrolytes and or malfunctioning of some of her body organs, nerve and systems. Her body temperature is beyond the normal limit which is 37 degree Celsius to 37.5 degree Celsius (Dunn, 2002). Abnormal blood pressure also shows that her blood circulation and body organs are not working properly thereby change the production of body heat. Joyces intracranial pressure is also high and over the limit of the normal rate. This reflects that there is an increased intracr