RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Management of traumatic brain injury (TBI): a clinical neuroscience-led pathway for the NHS
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP e198
OP e205
DO 10.7861/clinmed.2020-0336
VO 21
IS 2
A1 Lucia M Li
A1 Michael D Dilley
A1 Alan Carson
A1 Jaq Twelftree
A1 Peter J Hutchinson
A1 Antonio Belli
A1 Shai Betteridge
A1 Paul N Cooper
A1 Colette M Griffin
A1 Peter O Jenkins
A1 Clarence Liu
A1 David J Sharp
A1 Richard Sylvester
A1 Mark H Wilson
A1 Martha S Turner
A1 Richard Greenwood
YR 2021
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/21/2/e198.abstract
AB Following hyperacute management after traumatic brain injury (TBI), most patients receive treatment which is inadequate or inappropriate, and delayed. This results in suboptimal rehabilitation outcome and avoidable detrimental chronic effects on patients’ recovery. This worsens long-term disability, and magnifies costs to the individual and society. We believe that accurate diagnosis (at the level of pathology, impairment and function) of the causes of disability is a prerequisite for appropriate care and for accessing effective rehabilitation. An expert-led, integrated care pathway is needed to deliver accurate and timely diagnosis and optimal treatment at all stages during a TBI patient’s care.We propose the introduction of a specialist interdisciplinary traumatic brain injury team, led by a neurosciences-trained brain injury consultant. This team would engage acutely and for a longer term after TBI to provide accurate diagnoses, which guides subsequent management and rehabilitation. This approach would also encourage more efficient collaboration between research and the clinic. We propose that the current major trauma network is leveraged to introduce and evaluate this proposal. Improvements to patient outcomes through this approach would lead to reduced personal, societal and economic impact of TBI.