Daño axonal difuso posterior al trauma craneoencefálico en pediatría: la importancia de reconocerlo

Abstract

Diffuse axonal injury is a subtype of brain injury secondary to severe traumatic brain injury; the mechanism that explains the damage is due to rotational forces and rapid acceleration-deceleration that cause cutting and tearing of axonal white matter along with the blood vasculature, leading to cerebral edema and ischemic brain damage. Although most of the brain presents a normal structure, a minority of axons are affected, which is why findings of axonal damage in brain imaging require specialized techniques to visualize the damage. Despite understanding the trauma mechanism and neurological sequelae, there are few studies correlating radiological findings and histopathology, and there is limited data on treatment.

The objective of this study is to recognize the relevance of diffuse axonal injury in pediatrics, emphasizing its impact on functional and neurological prognosis. Despite being a severe injury, children have a significant potential for long-term neurological recovery, highlighting the importance of prolonged follow-up combined with rehabilitation therapies.