What exactly does encephalomalacia mean?

Brain softening lesions are a type of lesion caused by various destructive lesions that lead to damage and softening of brain tissue. Common causes are mainly related to cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction and brain trauma. Because the intracranial hypoxia is extremely high, it will cause problems in this area. The sequelae left behind are relatively serious and will directly lead to hemiplegia, decreased limb movement function, recurrence of cerebral infarction, etc.

Condition Analysis

Various destructive lesions can cause necrosis and softening of brain tissue, filling with cerebrospinal fluid, and forming cystic softening foci. Common causes include cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, encephalitis and brain trauma.

Because brain tissue has a very high oxygen demand, once the artery is blocked, it will inevitably lead to softening of the supply area. Brain softening is also the infarction of other organs. The larger one is softening, the smaller one is a cavity, and most cavities are called lacunar state. The causes of softening and lacunar state include embolism, arterial thrombosis, arterial spasm, circulatory insufficiency and other causes. Softening can be divided into two types: anemic softening and hemorrhagic softening. Arterial obstruction can cause anemic softening and hemorrhagic softening, while venous obstruction is almost completely hemorrhagic softening. The pathological process of anemic softening can be roughly divided into three stages: necrosis stage, softening stage, and repair stage. The cells in the softening area have been necrotic, and the cells in the ischemic penumbra (semi-lunar area) are in apoptosis or pre-apoptosis state, with low function, and dysfunction of the nervous system and motor system may occur.

Suggestions

A small number of patients died within 1 day of onset due to extensive softening; some died within 1-2 months due to the spread of thrombus and expansion of softening; most of them had their symptoms alleviated due to the disappearance of congestion and edema in the tissues around the softening, and their functions gradually recovered through compensation; some patients may be basically cured or have only minor sequelae. Some patients have serious sequelae such as hemiplegia and monoplegia due to softening that damages important structures such as the internal capsule.

Life care

Once the softening focus is formed, it is difficult to recover, which is equivalent to the formation of multiple cerebral infarctions. Interventional clearance is generally impossible. At present, the only way is to prevent the further aggravation of cerebral softening, such as the use of some drugs, lipid-lowering anticoagulation, and increased mental and psychological comfort. However, attention should be paid to the recurrence of cerebral infarction, and blood pressure should be controlled if it is high.