Acute neurosurgical management of traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury

Purpose of review This review discusses some of the recent advances and current controversies in the acute clinical management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). Recent findings Several key risk factors for adverse prognosis in TBI have been identified, including female sex. In the management of intracranial hypertension antibiotic impregnated intraventricular catheters have been found to reduce the risk for infection, and new studies have examined the roles of mannitol, hyperventilation, and hypothermia. Moderate hypothermia has also been found to improve outcome. Hyperoxia is now being explored as a treatment option for improving brain metabolism in TBI. That acute SCI continues to be a challenging diagnosis is supported by a recent study that showed that 9.1 % of SCIs are missed initially. The diagnosis and management of spinal instability has been studied in different patient groups. In SCI without radiographic abnormality, the presence of normal magnetic resonance imaging findings was associated with a good prognosis. New studies in the field of early decompression and the prevention of thromboembolism in SCI have also been published. Guidelines for the management of acute SCI recommend methylprednisolone and GM-1 ganglioside only as options. Summary In neurotrauma some established treatments have been reexamined and their efficacy proven, whereas others that were once considered the standard of care in SCI, such as methylprednisolone, have been questioned. Large multicenter trials are needed to assess treatments such as early decompression in SCI and decompressive craniectomy in TBI. A truly effective neuroprotective therapy in neurotrauma remains elusive.