Recent estimates indicate that nail gun injuries are on the rise with results released by the Center for Disease Control indicating a whooping 37000 cases of nail gun injuries reporting to emergency units per year in the USA. While some of these cases are self-inflicted, a majority of these injuries result from faulty or defective nail guns with the risk higher among construction workers.
Brain Injuries Are Among The Highest
Of these cases, a greater percentage is injuries to the head and substantially to the brain. It is in the wake of this call that assessment of injuries to the brain as a result of nail gun injuries has to be made to alert on the dangers posed by such injuries. An overview of injuries to the brain by nail guns shows that the injuries can be classified as either complete (intracranial) or incomplete (extracranial) penetration to brain with the latter proving more dangerous.
Penetrating brain injuries resulting from nail guns is a well-characterized entity, one that is increasing in frequency and occurrence as a result of nail guns becoming more powerful, more sophisticated, and readily available to the general public. Of importance are the health and emotional risks encountered by victims of these injuries.
Various Types Of Brain Injuries
Penetrating brain injuries to the brain as a result of nail gun accidents include:
• Traumatic aneurysm
• Traumatic pseudo aneurysm
• Haemi paresis and aphasia
• Haematoma formation
• Cranio orbitary injuries
The above injuries may be followed or preceded by:
• Loss of consciousness
• Neurological deficits and or disturbances
• Disorientation
• Left sided weakness of the body and unsteadiness in gait
The above injuries can become complicated with much more grievous harm like coma, stroke and paralysis related with the affected part of the brain.
With the penetrating nails carrying with them infected substances; this might later affect the brain with the introduction of infections. This may result in diseases like meningitis that can lead to paralysis.
Injuries Not Treated Correctly
Mismanagement of these injuries results in paralysis, immobility and may even cause death. Management of nail gun injuries involves decompressive craniotomy with intra operative guidance. Such procedures require expert surgeons because a misguided procedure may result in dire consequences like excessive bleeding, the introduction of infections or even paralysis after the injury.
Incomplete brain injuries result in partial damage to the brain and with lesser of the aforementioned complications. These can easily be managed and damage control done on the affected part of the brain.
Take Necessary Precautions When Using Nail Guns
Injuries to the brain should be avoided at all costs. If an individual has had a nail gun injury to the brain, he or should seek immediate emergency medical attention as a delay may result in more complications and set in infections if the injury is not attended to. Proper care should be given to patients with reported nail gun injuries to the head as a mis-management may worsen the injuries.
Some injuries to the brain result in irreversible damage and complications that are almost impossible to manage. The effects such injuries have on the brain of the victims alters their lives. Complications like paralysis render individuals immobilized and unable to attend to their daily chores. This negatively affects the economic stability of these individuals.
With the above stated complications of nail gun injuries to the brain, it is necessary to take precautionary measures when dealing with nail guns. Care should be taken to ensure that guns in circulation are in proper working conditions, they are not faulty or defective. Care and caution should be taken when handling nail guns to cut down on the cases of nail gun injuries and especially those that injure the brain thus reducing the complications arising from these injuries.
