Mild traumatic brain injury management - consensus statement of the Czech Neurolocical Society CMS JEP

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common medical condition affecting all age groups with the greatest occurrence in young and elderly patients. Research in recent years has proved that mTBI is notas a benign and fully reversible injury as previously thought implying the firmly established term "brain concussion". Repeated mTBI may result in a broad spectrum of cognitive impairment and even dementia. Some patients with frequent mTBI were described as having a histopathologically well-defined chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). An accumulation of the tau protein was found in the brain tissue of these patients, which is typically present in other neurodegenerative diseases. A small percentage of patients with mTBI suffer from serious intracranial complications which may, if undetected, lead to severe neurological sequelae or even death. Thus, the aim of this consensus statement is to change the attitude toward patients with mTBI. The proposal introduces the extent of the initial neurological examination and lists risk factors indicating performance of a head CT and criteria for inpatient observation including monitored parameters. Furthermore, presented recommendations aim to decrease the long-term sequelae of mTBI and suggest algorithms of care in the Czech Republic.