title: Concussions: What a neurosurgeon should know about current scientific evidence and management strategies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been a tremendous amount of interest focused on the topic of concussions over the past few decades. Neurosurgeons are frequently consulted to manage patients with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) that have radiographic evidence of cerebral injury. These injuries share significant overlap with concussions, injuries that typically do not reveal radiographic evidence of structural injury, in the realms of epidemiology, pathophysiology, outcomes, and management. Further, neurosurgeons often manage patients with extracranial injuries that have concomitant concussions. In these cases, neurosurgeons are often the only "concussion experts" that patients encounter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The literature has been reviewed and data have been synthesized on the topic including sections on historical background, epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic advances, clinical sequelae, and treatment suggestions, with neurosurgeons as the intended target audience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neurosurgeons should have a fundamental knowledge of the scientific evidence that has developed regarding concussions and be prepared to guide patients with treatment plans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.forename: Jonathan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Wesley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Alexander K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Powers