What is upward herniation?
Upward transtentorial herniation can occur when an infratentorial mass (eg, tumor in the posterior fossa, cerebellar hemorrhage) compresses the brain stem, kinking it and causing patchy brain stem ischemia. The posterior 3rd ventricle becomes compressed.
How does Supratentorial herniation differ from Infratentorial herniation?
There are two major classes of herniation: supratentorial and infratentorial. Supratentorial refers to herniation of structures normally found above the tentorial notch, and infratentorial refers to structures normally found below it.
What does Transtentorial herniation mean?
A transtentorial herniation is the movement of brain tissue from one intracranial compartment to another. This includes uncal, central, and upward herniation. These are life-threatening and time-critical pathologies that may be reversible with emergent surgical intervention and medical management.
How many types of brain herniations are there?
Intracranial hernias can be further divided into three types: (a) subfalcine hernia; (b) transtentorial hernia, which can be ascending or descending (lateral and central); and (c) tonsillar hernia.
What is brain herniation?
Brain herniation is the movement of brain parenchyma from one cranial compartment to another.[1] The key cranial compartments include left and right supratentorial compartments and the posterior fossa, which is infratentorial.
What are the treatment options for a brain herniation?
osmotic therapy or diuretics (medications that remove fluid from the body) to pull fluid out of the brain tissue, such as mannitol or hypertonic saline While the cause of the brain herniation is being addressed, the person being treated may also receive:
What increases my risk of having a brain herniation?
People with brain tumors or blood vessel problems, such as an aneurysm, are at a higher risk of having a brain herniation. In addition, any activity or lifestyle choice that puts you at risk for a head injury can also increase your risk of a brain herniation.
Is a brain herniation considered an emergency?
A brain herniation is considered a serious emergency. Signs and symptoms may include: A brain herniation is typically the result of swelling in the brain. The swelling puts pressure on brain tissues (referred to as increased intracranial pressure ), causing the tissue to be forced away from its normal positon.