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Abstract
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Background and epidemiology
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability among injured children. Though the majority of TBIs are mild, thousands of children lose their lives or are disabled annually. The economic cost of inpatient care alone exceeds $2.5 billion per year.1 Motor vehicle accidents and falls are the most frequent mechanisms of injury. Care of children with moderate or severe TBI occurs in the prehospital and hospital environment while care of mild TBI may occur entirely in the...
Classification and triage
TBI is classified into mild, moderate, and severe based on Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). There are modifications to the verbal and motor components for children who may be nonverbal and unable to follow commands. The coma score is associated with the presence of severe injuries, coagulopathy, duration of hospitalization, and hospital survival.4 In the pre-hospital environment, GCS can be calculated and may suggest the presence of TBI allowing triage to the optimal facility and initial TBI-directed...
Language: en |