Targeted treatment of severe head injury

Abstract

The management of neurotrauma is changing. Increased recognition of the heterogeneity of head trauma and the role of secondary injury has resulted in the development of tools and protocols to better identify pathophysiological disturbances in individual patients and target therapies appropriately. These tools are not perfect, the concepts are still emerging, and much modification and development is yet needed, but our understanding of head trauma has already benefited enormously. With the introduction of many of these concepts has come the recognition that modern neurotrauma management needs clinicians with experience in neurocritical care. It is not the proliferation of tools themselves, but rather their correct application by experienced clinicians that will benefit a patient.