Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the geriatric population. Geriatric patients are more susceptible to intracranial hemorrhage, require longer hospital stays, and have higher mortality than the younger population. The most common mechanisms of TBI in the elderly include falls, mostly from standing height, and motor vehicle collisions. In the United States, firearms are one of the most common mechanisms of suicide in patients 55 and older. Abuse is an important cause of brain trauma in older patients and can be easily overlooked; therefore, medical personnel should have a low threshold for suspecting elder abuse. Head CT is the modality of choice to evaluate head trauma in the acute setting even in cases of minor trauma. CT angiography and venography are useful to rule out vascular injury. Brain MRI is helpful in cases of unexplained cognitive decline in patients with subacute or chronic trauma. After TBI, geriatric patients tend to suffer more complications including cognitive decline and seizures. Interestingly, dementia is not only a risk factor for TBI, but TBI is also a risk factor for developing dementia.