Diagnoses and treatment of severe traumatic brain injury in 4 462 cases: a retrospective study

Abstract

Objective To analyze and summarize the experiences in diagnosis and treatment of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) so as to increase the cure rate and survival rate. Methods A retrospective study was made on the diagnoses and treatment of 4 462 cases of sTBI inclu-ding 3 298 males (73.9%) and 1 164 females (26.1%). The most frequent cause for injury was traffic accident, accounting for 35.5% (1 583/4 462). Closed bead injury ocurred in 3 654 cases (81.9%) and open head injury in 808 (18.1%). The most commen clinical manifestations included unconscious-ness, changes of pupils and life signs. Of all, 1 158 cases (26.0%) were found with combined injury and 1 356 (30.4%) with complications. Treatment measures included first aid, surgery or conventional treatment. Emphasis was put on the treatment of secondary insults. Results Surgery was performed in 3 023 cases (67.7%) including craniotomy for hematoma clearance in 856 cases and hematoma clearance plus decompression in 2 167, with mortality rate of 17.9%. Conventional treatment was carried out in 1 439 cases (32.3%), with mortality rate of 23.7%. There were 2 462 eases (55.2%) with fair recov-ery, 508 (11.4%) with mild disability, 339 (7.6%) with severe disability, 272 (6.1%) under vege-tative state and 881 (19.7%) deaths on discharge according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Conelu-sions Active diagnoses and treatment, strict medication rules and prevention and treatment of secondary insults may be key to higher eure rate as well as lower morbidity and mortality of sTBI. Key words: Brain iniurios, severe; Diagnosis; Treatment