One of the most serious lesions of brain structures is considered anoxic pathology, which is inherent in especially newborn babies. Anoxic damage to the brain is hypoxic in nature, as a result of which there is a failure in ventilation, circulation, respiration and tissue metabolism.
Description of the disease
The problems of therapy for a child with neurological pathologies are extremely relevant in our time. This is directly related to the general decline in the birth rate, and in addition, to an increase in the number of all kinds of adverse factors that provoke damage to the children's nervous system. Among other things, this is largely due to the fact that in the modern world, cases of the birth of unhealthy, and at the same time physiologically immature children are more frequent.
Very often, the main causes of anoxic brain damage are hypoxic and ischemic processes due to insufficient supply of oxygen to the nerve tissue. In the ICD-10 system, such a diagnosis is encrypted in several sections at once. The closest pathophysiology code is P21.9 (it implies neonatal anoxia) and G93.1 (in this case we are talking about anoxic brain damage, not classified elsewhere).
Anatomical picture in this disease
Unfortunately, medicine has still not revealed the exact mechanism for the appearance of anoxic brain damage. True, the anatomical picture of this pathology is quite simple. The fact is that the nervous tissue ceases to receive oxygen in an amount sufficient for it, against the background of this there is a hypoxic ischemic process, which, even for a short time period, is detrimental to the structure of the brain.
In other words, each neuron, as it were, doesn’t receive the required amount of oxygen during the blood supply. Neurons in children are not yet as developed as is observed in adults, therefore, their relationship with the brain is only at the formation stage. With a small supply of cells, it simply ceases to function correctly, and at the same time changes morphologically and internally.
Accordingly, anoxia is called morphological degenerative processes that have an extremely detrimental effect on healthy tissue. Symptoms of anoxic brain damage in children are extremely difficult to tolerate, which often ends in death. Next, we will examine what causes are the provoking factors in the occurrence of this ailment in children and newborns.
Causes of Brain Pathology
There is still no single root cause for the occurrence of anoxic brain damage. But it is worth noting that there are many provocative factors that can precede such a terrible phenomenon. These factors can interfere with normal blood supply, and in addition, the flow of the required amount of oxygen into the brain of a child:
- It is a cardiac arrest or suffocation.
- The effects of intoxication with chemicals, for example, are sometimes affected even by dirty ecology. It is worth noting that the children's body is very sensitive to a clean environment.
- Different viruses along with neuroinfections.
- Getting sun (or heat) shock and electric shock.
- Surgery on the heart or brain.
- Coma or clinical death.
- The effect of prolonged arterial hypotension (i.e. lowering blood pressure).
Symptoms of this dangerous pathology
Anoxic brain damage in newborns, as a rule, is extremely difficult. The fact is that even the onset of short-term hypoxia can cause an asthma attack along with convulsions and internal necrosis. Common symptoms and signs of anoxia include:
- The presence of epileptic seizures and seizures in a child.
- The presence of involuntary trembling of the limbs.
- The occurrence of a violation of sensitivity.
- The appearance of a malfunction in the work of the organs of hearing and vision.
- The occurrence of photophobia and increased photosensitivity.
- The appearance of paralysis and paresis of limbs.
- The occurrence of asthma attacks and respiratory failure.
- The appearance of a heart rhythm failure.
- The occurrence of headaches.
Diagnosis of this brain pathology
Diagnosis of anoxic brain damage in children involves primarily magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. Electroencephalography may also be required. Based on the results of all these procedures, the doctor can establish the correct diagnosis and predict the further course of the disease.
Treatment, as a rule, includes two consecutive stages. First, the removal of the root causes of the disease along with the restoration of the body. At this stage, it is necessary to understand what exactly served as the causes of anoxia in order to eliminate it. And directly at the second stage, vitamins are required along with breathing exercises and taking vascular drugs in order to restore the functioning of the heart and blood vessels as well.
How and where is anoxic brain damage treated?
Methods of dealing with this disease
So, as it has already become clear, the treatment of an ailment that has arisen involves, as a rule, several stages. In case of an acute illness, it is necessary to urgently completely eliminate the influence of factors leading to anoxia:
- The child needs airway sanitation.
- Removal of a foreign body.
- It is necessary to remove the patient from the area of carbon dioxide.
- Stopping strangulation is required.
- Obstruction of electric current.
At this stage, it is necessary to maintain normal blood circulation and oxygen supply, in some cases, artificial respiration devices are used. Moreover, support is provided at a level that should not allow irreversible changes in the brain. In the presence of preserved natural breathing, the child requires oxygen inhalation and transportation to the hospital. In case of respiratory failure, intubation is required.
Recovery of vital functions
The next stage involves the restoration of vital functions. Thus, it is necessary to restore blood circulation, respiration and normal heart function. Further therapy is directed to the restoration of all previously lost functions. For this purpose, neurometabolites are prescribed along with nootropics, vascular drugs, neuroprotectors and antioxidants.
Symptomatic therapy is aimed at eliminating the main manifestation of the effects of anoxia. In the case of severe headache, analgesics are used, and against the background of epileptic seizures, anticonvulsants are required and so on.