TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: A COMMON NEUROSURGICAL ENTITY

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Every year about 1.5 million affected people die and several millions receive emergency treatment. TBI with current best practice, results in only about one third of patients being able to live independently in the long term. Although people from all age groups may be affected; the TBI is more common in young age because of the exposure of this age to more chances of accidents on roads, work place and during leisure activities. Decompressive craniectomy is a surgical operation to decrease intracranial pressure, has been used with increasing frequency. Neurological surgeons however do not know whether the operation achieves its goal of improving patient outcomes. The question is considered of great importance internationally. In Pakistan and especially in the province of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, firearm injuries are more common and children are more prone to fall. The incidence of TBI is on the rise in developing countries. Anything that can improve the outcome from TBI has the potential of improving the lives of many head injured patients.