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Fifty-four-year-old Fred is complaining of a headache that started about 2 weeks ago. For the past 2 days, the headache has increased in severity, and he is photophobic and has uncial rigidity and projectile vomiting. CT scan results show an arteriovenous malformation in the basal artery and a small hemorrhagic bleed in the middle meningeal artery.
How is the concept of “disorders of brain function” related to Fred’s presenting symptoms?
What aspects of cerebral circulation would come into play in Fred’s case?
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Introduction:
This case presents a patient with headache, photophobia, uncial rigidity and projectile vomiting. The CT scan shows an arteriovenous malformation and a small hemorrhagic bleed. This assignment seeks to explore how the concept of “disorders of brain function” is related to Fred’s presenting symptoms and what aspects of cerebral circulation would come into play in Fred’s case.
Answer:
The concept of “disorders of brain function” is related to Fred’s presenting symptoms, which include photophobia, uncial rigidity, and vomiting. These symptoms are typically associated with increased intracranial pressure (ICP) that can result from disturbances in the brain’s fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. The arteriovenous malformation and hemorrhagic bleed in Fred’s case cause an increase in ICP, leading to the symptoms mentioned above.
In Fred’s case, cerebral circulation plays a critical role in the presentation of his symptoms. Cerebral circulation is responsible for providing oxygen and nutrients to the brain and removing waste products. Disruption of cerebral circulation can result in cerebral ischemia or hypoxia, leading to brain tissue damage. The presence of an arteriovenous malformation and hemorrhagic bleed can disrupt this process by increasing pressure on the cerebral vasculature and reducing blood flow to the brain, resulting in cerebral ischemia and hypoxia, leading to Fred’s symptoms.
