Abstract
The guidelines for the management of severe traumatic brain injury, 3rd revised edition, were published in 2013 by the Guideline Committee on the Management of Severe Head Injury, the Japan Society of Neurotraumatology. These guidelines were prepared to serve an academic purpose for use by primary care physicians dealing with head injuries such as neurosurgeons and emergency care physicians. In the 3rd edition, the chapters on the emergency care system and neurosurgery, initial treatment to protect the brain, ICU management, surgical indications and procedures, management of craniofacial injuries, management of pediatric and geriatric patients, and management of mild or moderate head injuries were subject to revisions and corrections following in the 2nd edition's footsteps. A chapter on radiological examinations was newly prepared, and items on sports head injury, neuropsychological disorders following head injury and intracranial hypotension accompanied by trauma were also prepared as a supplement. In the present manuscript, the chapter-updated 3rd edition is explained, and an examination is made of how the guidelines influence the treatment of severe traumatic brain injury based on data from the Japan Neurotrauma Data Bank.
