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Head injury and concussion
A guide for patients and carers
Download this booklet in PDF format (221kb)
What will happen if there is internal bleeding?
This is a very serious situation. Bleeding inside the head will put pressure on the brain and if this pressure gets too high the brain may be damaged. This has to be dealt with very quickly. The A & E doctor will speak to the local neurosurgeon on-call, who may be in a different hospital, to decide what treatment is required. Sometimes the brain scans that have been taken may need to be transferred to the neurosurgical unit to give the specialist more information.
Will a transfer to another hospital be necessary?
If the neurosurgeon feels that the person needs to be under his or her care, then a transfer to the neurosurgical unit will be necessary. This may be within the same hospital or it may involve moving them to another hospital, sometimes some distance away, where they can receive the specialist treatment they need.
Is a transfer safe?
Transferring someone with a severe head injury is a potentially dangerous
procedure, so measures are taken to make it as safe as possible. An anaesthetist or other doctor will usually accompany the patient to deal with any problems that may occur during the journey. The medical staff may decide that the patient should be given an anaesthetic before transfer so that there is no chance of them having breathing problems or becoming distressed during the transfer. The ambulance crew will be trained paramedics and therefore able to assist the medical staff should the need arise.
Can I go with them?
It is not safe to have passengers in an ambulance during an emergency transfer such as this. Only in very exceptional circumstances will the crew allow anyone to accompany the patient and their word is final. You will be able to follow on behind by car or public transport, but the main priority has to be the patient.
If the neurosurgeon feels that the person needs to be under his or her care, then a transfer to the neurosurgical unit will be necessary. This may be within the same hospital or it may involve moving them to another hospital, sometimes some distance away, where they can receive the specialist treatment they need.
Is a transfer safe?
Transferring someone with a severe head injury is a potentially dangerous
procedure, so measures are taken to make it as safe as possible. An anaesthetist or other doctor will usually accompany the patient to deal with any problems that may occur during the journey. The medical staff may decide that the patient should be given an anaesthetic before transfer so that there is no chance of them having breathing problems or becoming distressed during the transfer. The ambulance crew will be trained paramedics and therefore able to assist the medical staff should the need arise.
Can I go with them?
It is not safe to have passengers in an ambulance during an emergency transfer such as this. Only in very exceptional circumstances will the crew allow anyone to accompany the patient and their word is final. You will be able to follow on behind by car or public transport, but the main priority has to be the patient.
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Contents
- Introduction
- What are the main causes of head injury?
- What are the signs of a serious injury?
- What will happen at the hospital?
- Who gets admitted to hospital?
- What if the skull is fractured?
- What is concussion?
- What will happen if there is internal bleeding?
- What happens in the neurosurgical unit?
- The intensive care unit
- Coma and level of consciousness
- Recovery from a severe head injury
- Summary
- Other organisations that may be able to help
- Your feedback on Head injury and concussion
