Primary Brain Injury
Results from the physical stress (force) within the brain tissue caused by open or closed trauma.
Open Head Injury
occurs when there is a fracture of the skull or the skull is pierced. The integrity of the brain and the dura is violated and there is exposure to the outside. Damage may occur to underlying vessels, dural sinus, brain, and the cranial nerves.
Closed head injury is the result of blunt trauma; the integrity of the skull is not violated. It is the more serious of the two types of injury.