Head trauma and brain resuscitation

Traumatic brain injury causes death or prolonged disability in an unacceptably high number of patients. Although primary brain injury, that is, neurologic tissue structurally damaged by trauma, cannot be improved therapeutically at present, secondary brain injury, that is, injury produced by subsequent hypotension, hypoxia, or intracranial hypertension, can potentially be improved or avoided. Effective systemic resuscitation, currently achievable, is one key to reducing secondary injury.