One of the most difficult to answer and unfortunately way to often asked questions on our 800 number is about coma prognosis and treatment. A study cited on the Center for Disease Control’s website (CDC) discusses new research in this area. With the Natasha Richardson seemingly mild brain injury that turned deadly, these findings become even more relevant.
From the CDC website, http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dir/Brain_Trauma_Guidelines.htm
CDC Study Finds that Adoption of the Brain Trauma Foundation Guidelines Could Result in a Substantial Reduction in Traumatic Brain-Injury-Related Deaths
CDC Study Finds that Adoption of the Brain Trauma Foundation Guidelines Could Result in a Substantial Reduction in Traumatic Brain-Injury-Related Deaths coverThe December issue of the Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care features a study conducted by CDC on the effectiveness of adopting the Brain Trauma Foundation (BTF) in-hospital guidelines for the treatment of adults with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).
The findings presented in this article demonstrate that widespread adoption of these guidelines could result in a 50% decrease in deaths, and a savings of approximately $288 million in medical and rehabilitation costs. In addition, the study concludes that adopting these guidelines could result in $3.8 billion—the estimated lifelong savings in annual societal costs for severely injured TBI patients.
This study demonstrates that routine use of these guidelines could result in a substantial reduction in deaths and medical, rehabilitative, and societal costs.
The BTF guidelines for in-hospital care were developed over 10 years ago, in collaboration with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). Companion guidelines for pre-hospital care were prepared with the support of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and issued later. Although disseminated widely, these guidelines need far greater implementation.
To purchase this special issue, access the publisher’s website.*
(CDC is unable to provide free copies because of copyright regulations.)
A great resource, but not distributed by the Federal Government, because of copyright restrictions. One really must wonder about the goals and objectives though of an organization called the Brain Trauma Association that is there to save lives in emergency situations, who restricts access to perhaps its most important educational goals. Some things should just simply be free of copyright. Were Federal tax dollars used for this research? How do non-profit organizations get their priorities so backwards?
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