Abstract
Treatment of patients suffering from severe head injury is so far restricted to general procedures, whereas specific pharmacological agents of neuroprotection including hypothermia have not been found to improve the outcome in clinical trials. Albeit effective, symptomatic measures of the preclinical rescue of patients (i.e. stabilization or reestablishment of the circulatory and respiratory system) or of the early clinical care (e.g. prompt diagnosis and treatment of an intracranial space occupying mass, maintenance of a competent circulatory and respiratory system, and others) by and large constitute the current treatment based on considerable organizational and logistical efforts. These and other components of the head injury treatment are certainly worthwhile of a systematic analysis as to their efficacy or remaining deficiencies, respectively. Deficits could be associated with delays of providing preclinical rescue procedures (e.g. until intubation of the patient or administration of fluid). Delays could also be associated in the hospital with the diagnostic establishment of intracranial lesions requiring prompt neurosurgical intervention.
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References
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© 2004 Springer-Verlag Wien
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Wirth, A. et al. (2004). Prospective documentation and analysis of the pre- and early clinical management in severe head injury in Southern Bavaria at a population based level. In: Baethmann, A., Eriskat, J., Lehmberg, J., Plesnila, N. (eds) Mechanisms of Secondary Brain Damage from Trauma and Ischemia. Acta Neurochirurgica Supplements, vol 89. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0603-7_17
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0603-7_17
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