Surgical management of head injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United Kingdom and across the world, leading to disability and loss of productivity. The estimated incidence of TBI in Europe is on average 235 per 100 000, ranging of 150–300/100 000 per year. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is often used to classify the severity of TBI, with patients scoring 8 or less being classified as severe, 9–12 as moderate, and scores of 13–15 as mild. Mild TBI is the most common form of head injury, and the incidence of TBI is the highest in young adult males. In Western countries the major causes of TBI-related hospitalizations are falls, assaults, and motor vehicle traffic collisions.