Abstract
The emergency department (ED) is the primary gateway to the medical system for acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. However, ED evaluations for TBI have not been sufficiently described. In our study review we discussed TBI evaluation in the ED of patients with both mild and severe symptoms and the need for advanced emergency methods in managing such cases, as there is a high rate of death and/or severe complications among these patients. We performed an electronic search through EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane databases for studies concerning head injury evaluation in emergency departments through July 2018. Since its original publication in 1974 by Teasdale and Jennett, the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) has been the most widely used method of recording the level of consciousness in patients at presentation and at subsequent assessments. Assessment and management requires a multidisciplinary team including the trauma team, neurosurgeons, bedside nurses, respiratory therapists, and other members of the medical team.