Dissertation
Analysis of the motor vehicle collision factors accounting for location of lesion, brain injury severity and patient outcome
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
2000
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000978
Abstract
This retrospective study examined the effects of motor vehicle collision factors on the location and severity of brain injury. Acute care records and police accident reports were analyzed for 168 collisions occurring between 1985 and 1998 in the city of Philadelphia. Injured patients using a seatbelt experienced a shorter duration of loss of consciousness, had better GCS scores in the emergency room and endured shorter acute care hospital stays. Seatbelt efficacy was reduced, however, during lateral collisions. The data revealed that lateral collisions were associated with injury of greater severity when compared to frontal collisions. In addition, brain injury survivors of lateral collisions had poorer long-term outcomes at an average of 1.5 years following the injury. During frontal collisions, unrestrained drivers sustained greater injury when compared to unrestrained passengers. Lesion analysis revealed greater incidence of posterior cortical lesions when the occupant was unrestrained and greater incidence of temporal lobe lesions and skull fractures during lateral collisions. However, the data did not show an increase in subcortical lesions in restrained occupants or occupants of lateral impacts, as hypothesized. Reduced incidence of airbag deployment precluded analysis of this safety restraint system. Future research in this area should be prospective and interdisciplinary in nature. In the future, neuropsychology may play a role in validating the efficacy of newly implemented safety restraint systems and work with accident reconstructivists to determine the physical parameters by which brain injury occurs.
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Details
- Title
- Analysis of the motor vehicle collision factors accounting for location of lesion, brain injury severity and patient outcome
- Creators
- Frank G. Hillary
- Contributors
- Douglas L. Chute (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- viii, 121 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- College of Arts and Sciences; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991014970216104721