Strategies in Traumatic Brain Injury and Alcohol Consumption: A Professional's Survey

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury associated with alcohol consumption is a global public health problem. It is important to identify and rethink the strategies to approach this challenge for health care institutions from a professional perspective. METHODS: An online survey, created with Google Forms, was sent to professional neurosurgeons in Mexico and Latin America. Participation was voluntary, and responses were anonymous and confidential. Data were captured after 1 month and subjected to descriptive statistical analysis using Fisher exact and chi(2) tests. RESULTS: There were 83 questionnaires answered by certified neurosurgeons with a response rate of 52.9%. Responses indicated that 78% of hospitals have no specific management guidelines for patients with TBI and alcohol intoxication. In 90% of cases, no triage strategies are defined for the case, and at hospital admission, there are no specific identified strategies for extraordinary surveillance of risks in these patients (P = 0.062). CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm a lack of systematic strategies for management of patients with TBI and associated comorbidity of alcohol intoxication in the acute phase. It is important to define specific management guidelines to improve treatment efficacy and limit complications inn patients with TBI and alcohol intoxication.