TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation and significance of the pupillary light reflex in trauma patients
AU - Meyer, Scott
AU - Gibb, Tyler
AU - Jurkovich, Gregory
PY - 1993/1/1
Y1 - 1993/1/1
N2 - The pupillary light reflex is an important component of the neurologic examination of the trauma victim. Although the normal reflex can be predictably altered by specific head injuries, a variety of other factors common to trauma patients such as alcohol, illicit drugs, narcotics, paralyzing agents, hypothermia, and orbital or ophthalmic injury can confound the evaluation of the pupillary light reflex. This report reviews the anatomy and neuro-physiology of the pupillary light reflex and discusses the impact these confounding variables may have on this key component of the initial trauma evaluation.
AB - The pupillary light reflex is an important component of the neurologic examination of the trauma victim. Although the normal reflex can be predictably altered by specific head injuries, a variety of other factors common to trauma patients such as alcohol, illicit drugs, narcotics, paralyzing agents, hypothermia, and orbital or ophthalmic injury can confound the evaluation of the pupillary light reflex. This report reviews the anatomy and neuro-physiology of the pupillary light reflex and discusses the impact these confounding variables may have on this key component of the initial trauma evaluation.
KW - neurotrauma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027200355&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0027200355&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0196-0644(05)82750-7
DO - 10.1016/S0196-0644(05)82750-7
M3 - Review article
C2 - 8503525
AN - SCOPUS:0027200355
VL - 22
JO - Annals of Emergency Medicine
JF - Annals of Emergency Medicine
SN - 0196-0644
IS - 6
ER -