ABSTRACT
Head injury accounts for 3–4% of emergency department attendances, with around 1500 cases per 100 000 population per year in the UK. Annual mortality attributable to head injury is estimated at 9 per 100 000, and it remains the leading cause of death and disability from childhood to early middle age, with an estimated 2% of the US population suffering long-term disability as a result of head injury. Road traffic accidents are the leading cause of head injury, being responsible for up to 50% of cases. Other common mechanisms of injury include falls and assault. There is significant geographical variation, for example firearms are the third leading cause in the US.
