Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2021; 42(01): 127-144
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1716493
Review Article

Management and Challenges of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Shayan Rakhit
1   Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
2   Division of Trauma, Emergency General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery, Section of Surgical Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
,
Mina F. Nordness
1   Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
2   Division of Trauma, Emergency General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery, Section of Surgical Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
,
Sarah R. Lombardo
2   Division of Trauma, Emergency General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery, Section of Surgical Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
,
Madison Cook
1   Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
3   Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee
,
Laney Smith
1   Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
4   Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia
,
Mayur B. Patel
1   Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
2   Division of Trauma, Emergency General Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care, Department of Surgery, Section of Surgical Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
5   Department of Neurosurgery and Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
6   Surgical Service, Nashville VA Medical Center, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, Tennessee
7   Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center Service, Nashville VA Medical Center, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, Tennessee
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Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in trauma patients, and can be classified into mild, moderate, and severe by the Glasgow coma scale (GCS). Prehospital, initial emergency department, and subsequent intensive care unit (ICU) management of severe TBI should focus on avoiding secondary brain injury from hypotension and hypoxia, with appropriate reversal of anticoagulation and surgical evacuation of mass lesions as indicated. Utilizing principles based on the Monro–Kellie doctrine and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), a surrogate for cerebral blood flow (CBF) should be maintained by optimizing mean arterial pressure (MAP), through fluids and vasopressors, and/or decreasing intracranial pressure (ICP), through bedside maneuvers, sedation, hyperosmolar therapy, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage, and, in refractory cases, barbiturate coma or decompressive craniectomy (DC). While controversial, direct ICP monitoring, in conjunction with clinical examination and imaging as indicated, should help guide severe TBI therapy, although new modalities, such as brain tissue oxygen (PbtO2) monitoring, show great promise in providing strategies to optimize CBF. Optimization of the acute care of severe TBI should include recognition and treatment of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH), early seizure prophylaxis, venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis, and nutrition optimization. Despite this, severe TBI remains a devastating injury and palliative care principles should be applied early. To better affect the challenging long-term outcomes of severe TBI, more and continued high quality research is required.



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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
11. September 2020

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