title: Dabigatran etixilate and traumatic brain injury: Evolving anticoagulants require evolving care plans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the outcomes of trauma patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) on Dabigatran Etexilate (DE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Following IRB approval, all patients taking DE who were admitted to our level 1 trauma service were enrolled in the study. Injury complexity, length of stay (LOS), intensive care length of stay, operative intervention, therapeutic interventions and outcomes were analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight of 4310 admissions were taking DE. Eleven patients were excluded on concurrent antiplatelet therapy. Average age was 77.14 years (64-94 years), and average LOS was 4.7 d (1-35 d). Thirty-two percent were admitted with intracranial hemorrhage. Eighteen percent received factor VII, and 22% received dialysis in attempts to correct coagulopathy. Mortality was 21%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low incidence, absence of reversal agents, and lack of practice guidelines makes managing patients with TBI taking DE frustrating and provider specific. Local practice guidelines may be helpful in managing such patients.
authors.affiliation: Sam Pakraftar, Daniela Atencio, John English, Kurt Stahlfeld, Department of Surgery, UPMC Mercy, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, United States.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pakraftar
authors.affiliation: Sam Pakraftar, Daniela Atencio, John English, Kurt Stahlfeld, Department of Surgery, UPMC Mercy, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, United States.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atencio
authors.affiliation: Sam Pakraftar, Daniela Atencio, John English, Kurt Stahlfeld, Department of Surgery, UPMC Mercy, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, United States.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: English
authors.affiliation: Sam Pakraftar, Daniela Atencio, John English, Kurt Stahlfeld, Department of Surgery, UPMC Mercy, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, United States.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corcos
authors.affiliation: Sam Pakraftar, Daniela Atencio, John English, Kurt Stahlfeld, Department of Surgery, UPMC Mercy, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, United States.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Altschuler
authors.affiliation: Sam Pakraftar, Daniela Atencio, John English, Kurt Stahlfeld, Department of Surgery, UPMC Mercy, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, United States.
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stahlfeld
keywords: Anticoagulation; Brain injury; Dabigatran; Dabigatran reversal