[Surgical techniques for severe brain injury : With special emphasis on polytrauma]

In Austria approximately 2000 people suffer from severe brain injury per year. Brain trauma is the most common cause of death under the age of 45 years. In polytrauma patients the treatment and management of severe brain injury is particularly challenging because the life-threatening injuries of other organ systems significantly influence the timing of surgery and the outcome. The sequence of the necessary surgery is an interdisciplinary decision already made in the emergency room. The evacuation of space-occupying intracranial hemorrhage can be of secondary importance.

The standard approach for acute subdural hematoma is a craniotomy using a large question mark-shaped incision (trauma flap) and decompression. In acute epidural hematoma and impression fractures the localization of the lesion determines the surgical approach and evacuation. A variety of access procedures are available. Frontobasal injuries are extremely rarely an indication for an emergency operation for life-threatening injuries. Decompressive craniotomy is performed as for craniotomy for acute subdural hematoma by the standard trauma flap.

Emergency room computed tomography provides fast and accurate information about the localization and extent of brain injury.

The mortality of acute subdural hematoma ranges between 50-90% despite an adequate evacuation. Outcome of epidural hematoma has a much better prognosis (10% mortality). The results of decompressive craniectomy versus conservative treatment for moderate disability and good recovery are quite similar according to the randomized evaluation of surgery with craniectomy for uncontrolled elevation of intracranial pressure (RESCUE-ICP) study.

Interdisciplinary cooperation and communication and well-trained trauma surgeons with experience in brain trauma are key factors in the treatment of severe brain injury in polytrauma patients.