Management of head trauma

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability and death in most Western nations and consumes an estimated $100 billion annually in the United States alone. In the last 2 decades, the management of TBI has evolved dramatically, as a result of a more thorough understanding of the physiologic events leading to secondary neuronal injury as well as advances in the care of critically ill patients. However, it is likely that many patients with TBI are not treated according to current treatment principles. This article presents an overview of the current management of patients with TBI.