Long-term survival after severe TBI: clinical and forensic aspects

This article will review current knowledge germane to understanding estimations of survival time of persons following severe traumatic brain injury (STBI). Nomenclature issues relevant to biostatistics and the neuroscientific investigation of survival after STBI will also be explored. Biostatistical methods used for determining survival time will be reviewed. The latest evidence-based data on morbidity and mortality risk factors after STBI as related to the nature of neurologic and functional impairments will be explored. Clinical as well as forensic issues pertinent to prognosticating survival time will also be enumerated. Current literature (i.e., within the last 5 years) examining life expectancy issues after STBI will be reviewed. Concluding remarks will identify directions for future research in the area of survival time following STBI.