ABSTRACT
The challenges in managing a patient with an acute head injury, often with other bone and soft tissue injuries, have been outlined in earlier chapters. Surgical intervention is frequently indicated in these patients, for the intracranial or extracranial injuries, or both. The anesthetist is therefore often by necessity intimately involved in management. Furthermore, therapy instituted by the anesthetist, such as the choice of sedative agents, fluid replacement, or control of cardiorespiratory parameters, will directly impact upon other aspects of management, including neurosurgical and intensive care treatment.
