| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2013 | Volume
: 61
| Issue : 6 | Page : 599--605 |
Histological changes in thalamus in short term survivors following traumatic brain injury: An autopsy study
Ajay Bisht1, Kanwaljeet Garg1, Deepak Agarwal1, Pankaj Kumar Singh1, Guru Dutt Satyarthee1, Deepak Gupta1, Sumit Sinha1, Aanchal Kakkar2, Vaishali Suri2, Sanjeev Lalwani3, Shashank Sarad Kale1, Bhawani Shankar Sharma1
1 Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
2 Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
3 Department of Forensic Medicine, Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, New Delhi, India
Correspondence Address:
Pankaj Kumar Singh
Department of Neurosurgery, Room No. 720, Cardio-Neuro Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0028-3886.125256
Background: Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Reduction of thalamic volumes were seen in upto 80% of patients who survived for more than 3 months after TBI. However, the same may not be true in patients who died earlier following TBI. Aims: To to study the thalamus for evidence of any injury in short term survivors of TBI (<5 days) using immunohistochemistry to look for evidence of acute thalamic injury. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional prospective study was done in which autopsy specimens of short term survivors of TBI (<5 days) were studied for histopathological changes. Results: A total of 16 patients with a mean age of 37.8 years were included in the study. CT scan revealed acute subdural haematoma in 10, contusions in 4 patients, extradural haematoma and depressed fracture in 1 each, and diffuse axonal injury in 1 patient. Seven patients required surgery in the form of a decompressive hemicraniectomy. The histopathological analysis of the bilateral thalami showed evidence of congestion of the cerebral capillaries in 8 patients. Axonal retraction balls were seen in 8 patients, myelin breakdown products were seen in 14 patients and axonal swelling was seen in 14 patients. Conclusions: Thalamic injury is universal in the setting of severe TBI in patients who have decreased survival and may be a significant factor for the poor outcome in these patients.
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