title: Computed tomography of the brain in the emergency department: how often is tracheal intubation and general anaesthesia required?
abstract: As a result of national guidance in the UK, the number of computed tomography brains performed in patients with minor head injury has increased significantly. The aim of this survey was to establish the requirement for general anaesthesia and tracheal intubation in the management of emergency department patients requiring an urgent computed tomography of the brain. About 300 consecutive scans in emergency department patients were reviewed. The majority (>90%) did not require anaesthetic airway management despite an overall acute scan diagnosis rate of around 25% and 30 day mortality of 10%.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Anaesthesia, University of Nottingham, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK. matt.wiles@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Wiles
authors.forename: Daniel J R
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Jaimie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Iain K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Moppett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058109:Airway Management / Q000379:methods; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006113:United Kingdom; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures; D055815:Young Adult