Abstract

FERNANDEZ-LAVERDE, MAURICIO  and  TORRES-OSPINA, JULIO NICOLÁS. Current management of severe traumatic brain injury in children. CES Med. [online]. 2010, vol.24, n.1, pp.83-96. ISSN 0120-8705.

Traumatic brain injury is defined as any head injury caused by external forces that result in anatomical or functional abnormalities of the brain and its envelopes. It accounts for 9 to 35% of accidental deaths in childhood. Mortality is related to age and certain factors at the time of trauma, like other traumas and the presence of hypotension and hypoxia. Its management starts in the emergency department with an aggressive resuscitation to avoid hypoxia and hypotension. Once in the pediatric intensive care unit management of intracranial hypertension is essential. Within the management objectives is to keep intracranial pressure below 20 mmHg and in infants less than 15 mmHg and to maintain an adequate perfusion pressure. This article reviews the main therapies available now to achieve these objectives.

Keywords : Traumatic brain injury; Cerebrum; Intracranial Hypertension; Children; Intensive Care Units; Pediatric.

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