Traumatic brain injury in China: an update on epidemiology, care pathways, and clinical research

The burden of traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a challenge worldwide, and also in China. Since 2019, considerable changes in the epidemiology and characteristics of TBI have occurred, driven by social and economic factors, such as population ageing and the increasing use of mopeds for road transportation. Concurrently, substantial progress has been made in clinical research, including the implementation of high-quality studies on innovative treatments, such as long-term mild hypothermia for severe TBI, right median nerve stimulation for awakening patients in coma after a brain injury, and middle meningeal artery embolisation for chronic subdural haematoma. However, challenges remain, including in the establishment of training for neurosurgical residents, regional disparities in access to specialised healthcare, and low participation in international research networks. Clinical and other innovations provide opportunities for improving TBI care and research in China. Advances in China could offer guidance for the transition between TBI care in low-resource setting and highly specialised centres.