ABSTRACT
Acute brain injury, usually the result of blunt or penetrating trauma sustained from violent attack or motor vehicle accident, claims 50,000 American lives annually. Another 50,000-60,000 survive with disability after their injury (1). The treatment of acute brain injury requires prolonged hospitalization, often followed by months of rehabilitation before recovery of normal or near-normal functioning. Some injuries may be so severe that vegetative state occurs and nursing home care is needed until death. The cost in healthcare dollars is significant, challenging clinicians to optimize the nutritional and metabolic care of these patients in order to improve outcome.
