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Management of Closed Head Injury

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Surgical Intensive Care Medicine

Abstract

Closed head injury (CHI) remains a devastating problem throughout the world, disproportionately affecting young people. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with more than 50,000 deaths in the United States annually.1 Each year, an estimated 1.5 million Americans sustain a TBI. As a result of these injuries, 230,000 people are hospitalized and survive, and an estimated 80,000–90,000 people experience the onset of long-term disability.2 Motor vehicle accidents remain the leading cause of death among people younger than 40 years of age.3 While the fate of the injured is often decided at the moment of impact, timely medical intervention can frequently prevent further secondary injury and improve outcome. This chapter will focus on the medical and surgical management of patients with severe head injury, with an emphasis on the role of the critical care team.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Peter K. Dempsey (Assistant Clinical Professor)

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Burlington, MA, USA

    Peter K. Dempsey (Senior Staff Physician)

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Steven W. Hwang (Resident)

Authors
  1. Peter K. Dempsey
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  2. Peter K. Dempsey
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  3. Steven W. Hwang
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical Critical Care Division of Surgery, The Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, MA, USA

    John M. O’Donnell (Director, Surgical Intensive Care Unit Chairman) (Director, Surgical Intensive Care Unit Chairman)

  2. University Hospital Intensive Care Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Flávio E. Nácul

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Dempsey, P.K., Dempsey, P.K., Hwang, S.W. (2010). Management of Closed Head Injury. In: O’Donnell, J.M., Nácul, F.E. (eds) Surgical Intensive Care Medicine. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-77893-8_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-77893-8_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-77892-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-77893-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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