VB
Vikas Bhardwaj
Medical Technologist, AIIMS New Delhi
Updated: Apr 17, 2026
**Core Concept**
The patient's clinical presentation suggests a head injury with potential for cerebral concussion, characterized by transient loss of consciousness, post-traumatic amnesia, and post-concussive symptoms such as headache, dizziness, and nausea. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score indicates a mild head injury.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The patient's GCS score of E4V5M6 indicates a mild head injury, with eye opening (E4) and verbal response (V5) within normal limits and a mild motor response (M6). The patient's spontaneous eye opening without any muscular weakness and full awareness of his surroundings further supports a mild head injury. The continued complaints of headache, dizziness, nausea, faintness, and emesis are common post-concussive symptoms that do not necessarily indicate a more severe head injury.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This option might be tempting, but the patient's GCS score and clinical presentation do not support a severe head injury, which typically involves more significant neurological deficits such as decreased consciousness, focal neurological signs, or a lower GCS score.
**Option B:** This option is incorrect because the patient's GCS score and clinical presentation do not indicate a moderate head injury, which typically involves more significant symptoms such as confusion, disorientation, or a higher GCS score.
**Option C:** This option is incorrect because the patient's GCS score and clinical presentation do not indicate a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), which typically involves a GCS score of 13-15 and post-concussive symptoms that resolve within 7-10 days.
**Option D:** This option is incorrect because the patient's GCS score and clinical presentation do not indicate a severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI), which typically involves a GCS score of 3-12 and significant neurological deficits.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
The GCS score is a widely used assessment tool for head injuries, but its accuracy decreases in patients with altered mental status or those who are unable to follow commands. In such cases, other assessment tools such as the AVPU scale or the modified GCS may be more useful.
**Correct Answer:** C.