title: Severe traumatic brain injury--epidemiology and outcome after 3 years.
abstract: In 1987 80 patients living in the region of St Gallen, Switzerland, suffered from head injury with neuroradiologically visible intracranial lesions (annual incidence 20/100,000). One-quarter died during the first month after injury, and six others during the following 3 years. All except three of the 45 survivors interviewed and examined after 3 years had symptoms and functional impairment related to injury: neuropsychological (78%), behavioural (58%), neurological (53%), and related to bone or soft tissue trauma (36%). Half of the patients suffered from headache. Although these impairments caused little disability--only 5% of the patients had a Glasgow Outcome Score of 2 or 3--handicap in social life was reported in half of them and only 13 of 29 working before the accident were able to resume their former work. The consequences for long-term management of these patients are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Neurorehabilitation, Rehabilitation Centre, Valens, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Annoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kesselring
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000647:Amnesia / Q000175:diagnosis; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013557:Switzerland; D014937:Work