@article{ref1,
title="A second look at the utility of serial routine repeat computed tomographic scans in patients with traumatic brain injury",
journal="American journal of surgery",
year="2015",
author="Haider, Ansab A. and Rhee, Peter and Orouji, Tahereh and Kulvatunyou, Narong and Hassanzadeh, Tania and Tang, Andrew and Farman, Adil and O'Keeffe, Terence and Latifi, Rifat and Joseph, Bellal",
volume="210",
number="6",
pages="1088-1094",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The practice of a routine repeat head computed tomographic scans in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is under question. The aim of our study was to evaluate the utility of a more than 1 repeat head computed tomography (M1CT) scans in patients with TBI. <br><br>METHODS: We performed a 3-year analysis of a prospectively collected database of all TBI patients presenting to our level I trauma center. Patients who received M1CT scans were included. <br><br>FINDINGS and reason (without neurologic decline vs after neurologic decline) for M1CT were recorded. Primary outcome measure was neurosurgical intervention. <br><br>RESULTS: A total of 296 patients that underwent M1CT were included. Of those, 291 patients (98.6%) had M1CT without a neurologic decline, and neurosurgical intervention was performed in 1 patient (.3%) who was inexaminable (Glasgow coma scale score = 6). The remaining (n = 5) had M1CT due to a neurologic decline; 4 patients (80%) of the 5 had worsening of ICH; and neurosurgical intervention was performed in 3 (75%) of the 4 patients. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The practice of multiple repeat head computed tomographic scans should be limited to inexaminable patients or patients with neurological deterioration.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0002-9610",
doi="10.1016/j.amjsurg.2015.07.004",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2015.07.004"
}