ABSTRACT
There are an estimated 10 million people affected annually by Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) across the globe (Hyder et al., 2007). According to the World Health Organization, TBI will surpass many diseases as the major cause of death and disability by the year 2020 (Hyder et al., 2007). Research in the fi eld of TBI has long been dominated by severe brain injury (Narayan et al., 2002). However, of the estimated 1.8 million people in the United States who sustain a TBI each year, over 90% will have either a “moderate” (GCS 9-12) or “mild” (GCS 13-15) injury (Consensus conference 1999; Vollmer and Dacey, 1991; Yealy and Hogan, 1991). The distinction between mild, moderate and severe TBI is initially based on a GCS score and this may be infl uenced by factors such as perfusion and intoxication from drugs or alcohol, sedative medications and other distracting injuries. The majority of these patients will present to Emergency Departments (ED’s) around the country for assessment and treatment (Langlois et al., 2004).
