Recovery from severe TBI can be unpredictable, but proper care can aid recovery. Physicians should stay hopeful, avoiding pessimism and therapeutic nihilism.
(Physicians Weekly) – Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an increasingly common cause of disability and mortality globally. According to the CDC, there were approximately 214,110 hospitalizations due to TBI in the US in 2020 and 69,473 TBI-related deaths in 2021.
Patients suffering from severe TBI face an unpredictable future with prolonged and incomplete recovery. Unfortunately, general guidelines to determine the likelihood of a good neurologic outcome don’t exist. Based on personal or religious beliefs, advance directives, medical comorbidities, QOL, and other concerns, families face difficult decisions in care, particularly regarding the withdrawal of life support. CONTINUE