Catastrophic injury
Catastrophic Injury
A Catastrophic Injury (/kəˈtastrəfɪk ˈɪndʒəri/) is a severe injury to the spine, spinal cord, or brain, and may also include skull or spinal fractures.
Etymology
The term "catastrophic injury" originates from the Greek word "katastrophē" meaning "overturning, sudden end", and the Latin word "injuria" meaning "wrong, injustice".
Definition
A catastrophic injury can result in permanent disability, long-term medical problems or a shortened life expectancy. These injuries are often the result of physical harm or damage to the brain or the spinal cord.
Types of Catastrophic Injuries
- Brain Injury: This is an injury to the brain that impairs its functions, often permanently. Brain injuries can be caused by trauma, such as a blow to the head, or by disease, such as a tumor or stroke.
- Spinal Cord Injury: This is an injury to the spinal cord that results in a loss of function, such as mobility or feeling. Spinal cord injuries can be caused by trauma, such as a fall or car accident, or by disease, such as cancer or arthritis.
- Burn Injury: This is an injury to the skin or other tissues caused by heat, radiation, radioactivity, electricity, friction or contact with chemicals.
Related Terms
- Paralysis: This is a loss of muscle function in part of your body. It can be localized or generalized, partial or complete, and temporary or permanent.
- Coma': This is a state of unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions.
- Amputation: This is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Catastrophic injury
- Wikipedia's article - Catastrophic injury
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