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Intensive Care Med (2006) 32:16061612

DOI 10.1007/s00134-006-0285-4 PE D I A T R I C O R I G I N A L

Kevin P. Morris
Robert J. Forsyth
Intracranial pressure complicating severe
Roger C. Parslow traumatic brain injury in children:
Robert C. Tasker
Carol A. Hawley monitoring and management
UK Paediatric Traumatic Brain
Injury Study Group
Paediatric Intensive Care Society
Study Group

Received: 23 July 2005 Abstract Objective: To identify (6% of cases); therefore cerebrospinal
Accepted: 20 June 2006 factors associated with the use of in- fluid drainage is seldom used as
Published online: 28 July 2006 tracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring a first-line therapy for raised ICP.
Springer-Verlag 2006 and to establish which ICP-targetted Jugular venous bulb oximetry (4%),
therapies are being used in children brain microdialysis (< 1%) and brain
This study was supported by grants from with severe traumatic brain injury tissue oxygen monitoring (< 1%)
the Paediatric Intensive Care Society,
Birmingham Childrens Hospital Research (TBI) in the United Kingdom. To are rarely used in current practice.
Foundation and the Warwick University evaluate current practice against re- Contrary to published guidelines,
Research and Teaching Development Fund. cently published guidelines. Design moderate to severe hyperventilation
K. P. Morris (u) and setting: Prospective data col- is being used without monitoring for
Diana Princess of Wales Childrens lection of clinical and demographic cerebral ischaemia. Conclusions:
Hospital, information from paediatric and adult There is an urgent need for greater
Steelhouse Lane, B4 6NH Birmingham, UK intensive care units in the UK and Ire- standardisation of practice across UK
e-mail: kevin.morris@bch.nhs.uk land admitting children (< 16 years) centres admitting children with severe
Tel.: +44-121-3339673 with TBI between February 2001 TBI.
Fax: +44-121-3339651 and August 2003. Results: Detailed
R. J. Forsyth clinical information was obtained for Keywords Traumatic brain injury
Sir James Spence Institute of Child Health, 501 children, with information on the Children Intensive care Intracranial
Royal Victoria Infirmary, Child Health, use of ICP monitoring available in pressure Treatment Monitoring
School of Clinical Medical Sciences,
445. ICP monitoring was used in only
NE1 4 lP Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
59% (75/127) of children presenting
R. C. Parslow with an emergency room Glasgow
Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Coma Scale of 8 or below. Large be-
Therapeutics, University of Leeds,
Paediatric Epidemiology Group, Centre for
tween centre variation was seen in the
Epidemiology and Biostatistics, use of ICP monitoring, independent
30 Hyde Terrace, LS2 9JT Leeds, UK of severity of injury. There were 86
children who received ICP-targetted
R. C. Tasker
Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge therapies without ICP monitoring.
University Clinical School, Wide between centre variation was
Hills Rd, CB2 2QQ Cambridge, UK found in the use of ICP-targetted
therapies and in general aspects of
C. A. Hawley
Warwick Medical School, University of management, such as fluid restric-
Warwick, Division of Health in the tion, the use of muscle relaxants and
Community, prophylactic anticonvulsants. Intra-
CV4 7AL Coventry, UK ventricular catheters are rarely placed
1607

Introduction Two clinical abstracts were prepared prospectively for


each child. The first detailed information available within
The United Kingdom Paediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
24 h of admission including demographics, mechanism
(TBI) Study Group was established in 1999 with the
of injury, pre-admission management, Glasgow Coma
intention of promoting multi-centre interdisciplinary
Score (GCS), surgical procedures and computed tomog-
research aimed at improving the outcome of children who
raphy (CT) findings. A second abstract was prepared at
have suffered a head injury. As a first step it was decided
discharge from the intensive care unit and included data
to conduct a prospective data collection across the UK
on monitoring modalities, medical interventions, any
of children with TBI admitted to an intensive care unit.
further surgical procedures and subsequent CT findings.
This study had three purposes. First, the exercise would
In addition we asked whether a patient was enrolled into
test whether it is feasible to collect a large volume of
a trial and whether inclusion in the trial could affect the
data through an organisation with strong commitment but
data items being collected. We identified 44 children (9%)
limited resources. Second, the information would provide
as being enrolled in a research trial but in only 13 (3%)
a unique epidemiological picture of severe TBI in children
was it felt that the responses given for this study could
and of contemporary practice across the UK, the first
be affected by inclusion in the trial. These cases were
such database of paediatric TBI in the UK. Third, the
therefore included in the analysis. Ethical approval for
results would be invaluable for informing future clinical
data collection was obtained from the West Midlands
trials.
Multicentre Research Ethics Committee; approval was
The need to prevent raised intracranial pressure
additionally gained from the Local Research Ethics
(ICP) is recognised as central to current intensive
Committee for each participating ICU.
care practice. Previous questionnaire surveys of both
In addition limited data on children under 16 years
adult and paediatric physicians have highlighted wide
admitted with TBI as the primary reason for admission
variation in the use of ICP monitoring and in the
to 48 adult ICUs were obtained from the Intensive Care
management of raised ICP [1, 2], but questionnaire
National Audit Research Centre (ICNARC) for the period
surveys are based on physician recall and do not nec-
1 April 200131 March 2002. A cross-check identified
essarily provide a true reflection of actual practice.
children who were transferred from an adult ICU to
Prospective studies in adults with TBI have confirmed
a PICU to avoid double-counting. No data relating to the
considerable centre to centre variation [3]. We anal-
use of ICP monitoring or use of ICP-targetted therapies
ysed data from the national database with the aim of
was available for the group of children who were managed
identifying factors that are associated with the use of
exclusively in an adult ICU.
ICP monitoring and the secondary aim of establishing
Data items used for this report were use of ICP
which ICP-targetted therapies are being used in chil-
monitoring, mode of ICP monitoring, presence of
dren with severe TBI. We have related our findings to
raised ICP, use of other modalities of brain monitoring
the recommendations made in the recently published
(microdialysis, jugular venous oximetry, brain tissue
Guidelines for the acute medical management of se-
oxygenation), use of invasive haemodynamic monitor-
vere traumatic brain injury in infants, children, and
ing (arterial line, central line) and the use of different
adolescents [4].
therapies. Raised ICP was defined as a level higher than
20 mmHg on more than 1 hourly recording at any point
during ICU stay. This threshold is consistent with the
Methods and materials United States guidelines [4]. ICP-targetted therapies were
Detailed methods have been reported elsewhere [5]. In classified as first- or second-tier therapies [4]. First-tier
summary, a clinician or nurse at each participating centre therapies were mannitol, hypertonic saline, mild hyper-
provided anonymised data for each child under 16 years of ventilation (PaCO2 4.04.5 kPa) and cerebrospinal fluid
age admitted primarily for the management of a traumatic (CSF) drainage. Second-tier therapies were barbiturates,
brain injury to one of 28 participating paediatric intensive hypothermia, moderate (3.53.9 kPa) or severe hyperven-
care units (PICUs) in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern tilation (< 3.5 kPa). In addition we looked separately at
Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over a rolling 12-month children undergoing decompressive craniectomy. General
period. In most centres this was 1 April 200131 March therapeutic approaches were also included such as the use
2002. A total of 721 children were identified across the of fluid restriction, artificial ventilation, muscle relaxants,
data collection period. Detailed clinical abstracts were steroids, prophylactic anticonvulsants and inotropes or
returned on 501 children (69%), who form the basis for vasopressors. Findings on cerebral CT were noted. CT
this analysis. As a result of unknown data items, missing findings were defined as abnormal if they demonstrated
data items and subgroup analysis the precise denominator intracranial haemorrhage (extradural, subdural, subarach-
varied for individual analyses. noid, intracerebral), diffuse axonal injury, or features of
1608

cerebral oedema (reduced grey/white differentiation, com- Results


pressed lateral ventricles or basal cisterns, midline shift).
In order to contrast the use of ICP targetted therapies Monitoring
across different centres in comparable patients we defined
a severe TBI group to include children with GCS of ICP monitoring
8 or below in the accident and emergency department
and those children requiring intubation and ventilation Information relating to the use of ICP monitoring was
pre-hospital or in the accident and emergency department recorded in 445 cases. ICP monitoring was undertaken
in whom no GCS was recordable. in 45% of cases (199/445). ICP monitoring was more
For statistical analysis, ICP monitoring (yes/no) was common in those with an emergency room GCS of 8 or
entered as the dependent variable in a random effects below (59%, 75/127) than in those with GCS 912 (38%,
logistic regression analysis with the following indepen- 30/80) or GCS 1315 (22%, 22/98). The US guidelines
dent variables: age, sex, emergency department GCS recommend that ICP monitoring be undertaken in all
score, pupil reactivity, CT abnormality, admitting centre, children with an admission GCS of 8 or below. ICP moni-
and the need for a neurosurgical procedure within 24 h toring was also more common in the group of children in
of injury. A random effects model was used to allow whom GCS could not be assessed accurately in accident
for variability between admitting centres. In a separate and emergency departments (51%, 72/140). This group
multiple regression analysis ICU length of stay was comprised children who were intubated or had received
the dependent variable with the following independent sedation or muscle relaxants. ICP monitoring was more
factors: emergency department GCS, age, sex, mechanism common in those with an abnormal admission CT (56%,
of injury, pupil reactivity, CT abnormality, need for 156/282) than in those with a normal initial CT (26%,
a neurosurgical procedure within 24 h of injury, ICP 43/163).
monitoring and development of raised ICP. Kaplan-Meier We found large between centre variation in the propor-
survival plots were produced for ICU length of stay, tion of cases undergoing ICP monitoring (7100% of cases
with Cox regression used to derive length of stay hazard within each centre). This persisted when only the 212 cases
ratios for the groups: (a) ICP monitored and raised, (b) meeting the definition of severe TBI cases were analysed
ICP monitored but normal and (c) ICP not monitored. (7100% of cases within each centre; Fig. 1). The random
All statistical analyses were performed using Stata effects logistic model confirmed a strong admitting cen-
version 8.2. tre effect on ICP monitoring rates (lr test 2 = 37.8, 1 df,

Fig. 1 Illustration of the


variation in use of ICP
monitoring, ICP therapies and
general therapies across 12
centres admitting more than ten
cases of severe TBI (n = 168).
For each centre the percentage
of patients in whom each
intervention was used is
calculated. The data are shown
as box plots, with the median
value representing practice at the
centre with the median use of
each intervention, and low and
high outliers representing
practice at centres with the
lowest and greatest use of each
intervention, respectively
1609

Table 1 Random effects model for use of ICP monitoring (n = 331). Between centre variation in management of ICP
Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) refers to that measured in the accident and general management
and emergency department. Baseline categories for the analysis were
GCS 1315 and age 1014 years. In addition to the significance of
GCS, age and CT abnormality, a strong admitting centre effect was To allow for between-centre variation in the GCS thresh-
found ( = 0.293, likelihood ratio test p < 0.001, 2 = 37.8) (OR odds old for ICU admission this analysis was confined to severe
ratio, CI confidence interval) TBI cases in 12 centres admitting ten or more severe
cases and includes cases with and without ICP monitor-
OR p 95% CI ing (n = 168). Wide variation in every aspect of practice
GCS 8 4.67 0.000 2.0010.86 was evident (Fig. 1). Use of mannitol was recorded in 43%
GCS 912 2.20 0.09 0.885.49 (73/168) of cases, with considerable variation across cen-
GCS unrecordable 4.13 0.001 1.779.67 tres (range 777% of cases within each centre). Of these,
Age 1 year 0.08 0.001 0.020.36
Age 14 years 1.27 0.53 0.602.72 92% (155/168) were managed with some degree of hy-
Age 510 years 0.99 0.97 0.511.92 perventilation (range 50100% of cases within each cen-
Age > 14 years 0.62 0.47 0.172.24 tre), and 14% (24/168) barbiturate therapy (range 027%
CT abnormality 3.89 0.000 1.987.64 of cases within each centre). Fluid restriction was used in
Neurosurgical procedure 1.05 0.90 0.502.21 58% (98/168) of severe TBI cases, with considerable vari-
first 24 h
Pupil(s) unreactive 1.60 0.21 0.773.31 ation across centres (0100% of cases within each centre).
first 24 h The restriction was moderate (5175% of normal fluids) in
70% of these cases and severe (< 50% of normal fluids) in
30% of cases.

p < 0.001). Inter-centre variation accounted for 29% of the


overall variance in the model. In addition the model con- Management of raised ICP
firmed greater use of ICP monitoring in the group with
an emergency department GCS of 8 or below in those in Of the 199 children in whom ICP was monitored 98 (49%)
whom GCS could not be assessed in the emergency de- developed raised ICP. Complete data relating to ICP ther-
partment, and those with abnormalities on CT. ICP mon- apies was available for 90 of the 98 cases. First-tier ther-
itoring was used less in children below the age of 1 year apies were used in 99% (89/90) of cases. Figure 2a shows
(Table 1). the frequency with which individual therapies and com-
There was considerable variation in the mode of binations of therapies were used. We did not specifically
ICP monitoring reported, with the most common being collect data relating to the order with which therapies were
parenchymal catheter placement (50%, 100/198), followed used. The US guidelines suggest that the initial ICP spe-
by subdural (29%, 57/198), extradural (15%, 30/198) and cific therapeutic intervention be CSF drainage when ven-
intraventricular (6%, 11/198). Only two centres reported tricular access is available. CSF drainage was used in only
use of intraventricular monitoring. 16% (14/90) of UK cases, and all cases received at least
one other first-tier therapy, suggesting that CSF drainage
is not being employed as a first-line therapy.
Multi-modality brain monitoring Hyperosmolar therapy is recommended as the next
line therapy in the US guidelines, with the choice between
Additional brain monitoring was undertaken infrequently; mannitol and hypertonic saline left to the clinician.
jugular venous oximetry in 4% of cases (n = 20) in seven Hyperosmolar therapy was used in 87% (78/90) of cases,
centres, microdialysis in only two cases in one centre, and with mannitol use (78%, 70/90) exceeding hypertonic
brain tissue oxygenation monitoring in two cases in two saline use (36%, 32/90). Mild hyperventilation was used
centres. in 83% (75/90) of cases, frequently in combination with
hyperosmolar therapy (72%, 65/90). Figure 2a suggests
that there is no consistency of practice with respect to
Invasive haemodynamic monitoring whether hyperosmolar therapy or mild hyperventilation is
employed as the first intervention.
Accurate assessment of cerebral perfusion pressure Second-tier therapies were used in 54% (49/90) of
requires invasive arterial pressure monitoring as well children with raised ICP (Table 2). The US guidelines do
as ICP monitoring. Invasive arterial pressure mon- not make recommendations concerning the order with
itoring was undertaken in 87% (390/450) of total which these therapies should be employed. Barbiturates
cases and 94% (200/212) of cases classified as se- were used in 36% (32/90) of cases, moderate or severe
vere TBI. A central venous line was placed in 52% hyperventilation in 27% (24/90), hypothermia in 24%
(232/444) of total cases and 66% (139/212) of severe TBI (22/90) and decompressive craniectomy in 10% (9/90).
cases. Figure 2b shows the frequency with which individual
1610

therapies and combinations of therapies were used and


suggests a lack of consistency of practice in terms of the
order in which they are employed. Therapeutic hypother-
mia was employed in only six centres, most frequently
mild hypothermia (3436 C; 77%, 17/22) rather than
moderate hypothermia (3234 C; 23%, 5/22). Eight
of nine cases undergoing decompressive craniectomy
received at least one other second-tier therapy, suggesting
that decompressive craniectomy is being undertaken once
other therapies have been used.
For the purposes of this study raised ICP was recorded
when ICP was higher than 20 mmHg on more than
1 hourly recording at any point during ICU stay. There
were 101 children in whom ICP was monitored who did
not fulfil this definition. Complete data relating to ICP
therapies were available for 87 of these 101 cases. First-
tier therapies were used in 51% (44/87) of cases in this
group and second-tier therapies in 12% (10/87; Table 2),
suggesting that a proportion of these children may have
experienced raised ICP of insufficient duration to meet
the definition. Alternatively centres may be employing
these therapies at an ICP threshold below 20 mmHg, as
suggested by an earlier survey [2].

Use of ICP-targetted therapies without ICP monitoring

ICP was not monitored in 246 children. Despite this first-


tier therapies were used in 86 children (35%) and second-
tier in 21 (9%; Table 2).

ICU length of stay

Independent risk factors for longer length of stay were


GCS score below 8 (p = 0.005) or unrecordable GCS
Fig. 2 Venn diagrams showing the use of first-tier ICP-targetted ther- (p = 0.001), abnormal CT (p < 0.001), fixed pupil(s)
apies in 89 children with raised ICP and complete data relating to (p < 0.001), and raised ICP (p < 0.001). In addition pa-
use of first-tier therapies (a) and the use of second-tier ICP-targetted tients with a normal ICP on monitoring also had a longer
therapies in 49 children with raised ICP and complete data relating
to use of second-tier therapies (b) length of stay than those in whom ICP was not monitored

Table 2 Use of ICP-targetted ICP monitoring No ICP monitoring


therapies in children undergoing (n = 246)
ICP monitoring, with and ICP raised (n = 90) ICP not raised (n = 87)
without raised ICP, and in n % n % n %
children in whom ICP
monitoring was not instituted. First-tier ICP therapies
Only cases with complete data CSF drainage 14 16 2 2 1 0.4
relating to ICP therapies have Mannitol 70 78 21 24 35 14
been included Hypertonic saline 32 36 4 5 13 5
Mild hyperventilation 75 83 28 32 64 26
Second-tier ICP therapies
Barbiturates 32 36 1 1 2 1
Hypothermia 22 24 2 2 2 1
Moderate, severe 24 27 7 8 17 7
hyperventilation
1611

the three centres, with the use of anticonvulsants associated


with a reduced risk of mortality.
Just over one-half of children with severe TBI un-
derwent ICP monitoring, with large between centre
differences. TBI guidelines recommend intra-ventricular
catheter placement as the most accurate, low cost, reliable
method of ICP monitoring, with the additional benefit
of allowing CSF drainage [4, 8]. We found a very low
reported use of ventricular catheters and a higher than
expected reported use of subdural and extradural catheter
positions, methods that have been shown to be less accu-
rate than parenchymal or ventricular placement [9, 10]. It
was not possible to check the accuracy of reporting, and
therefore we cannot rule out the possibility that parenchy-
mal devices were in some cases described as subdural.
Fig. 3 Kaplan Meier plots for time to discharge from ICU by ICP The greater ICU length of stay associated with ICP
monitoring status and whether or not ICP was raised. Deaths are
excluded. Using Cox regression both the high-ICP group (hazard ra- monitoring could reflect the selective use of ICP monitor-
tio 0.26, p < 0.001) and the normal-ICP group (hazard ratio 0.60, ing in more severely injured children. However, the rela-
p < 0.001) had a longer length of ICU stay than the unmonitored tionship between ICP monitor use and ICU length of stay
group persists after controlling for markers of injury severity and
the presence of raised ICP. This suggests that ICP mon-
itoring in less severely injured children may at times be
(p = 0.001; Fig. 3). Fall as the mechanism of injury was unnecessarily delaying discharge from ICU. Robust crite-
associated with a shorter length of stay (p = 0.04). ria are needed for the prospective identification of children
at significant risk of developing raised ICP.
The management of raised ICP was found to be broadly
consistent with US guidelines, although it is not possi-
Discussion ble to be confident about the order with which therapies
are being used. The data would support the survey find-
This study highlights the large variation in practice that ings of Segal et al. [2], with hyperventilation used in some
exists across UK units admitting children with severe TBI. units as first line therapy ahead of hyperosmolar therapy.
Variation is evident with respect to ICP monitoring, use of As a result of the infrequent use of ventricular catheters
ICP-targetted therapies and areas of general management. CSF drainage was rarely used and was never used as the
Of particular concern is the use of ICP-targetted therapies sole ICP therapy. This suggests that some centres selec-
in 86 children without ICP monitoring. The data were col- tively place ventricular catheters in patients who demon-
lected before publication of the US guidelines [4], the first strate refractory intracranial hypertension. The US guide-
published paediatric TBI guidelines. It is possible that pub- lines recommend that monitoring for cerebral ischaemia,
lication of the guidelines will have resulted in a greater such as jugular venous bulb oximetry, be used if aggres-
standardisation of approach, although certain areas of man- sive hyperventilation is employed to lower ICP; 75% of
agement such as fluid restriction and use of prophylactic UK cases underwent moderate or severe hyperventilation
anticonvulsants are not covered within the guidelines. without such monitoring. A small randomised controlled
Previous studies have shown that institutional varia- trial has suggested benefit for early decompressive craniec-
tions in practice can have an effect on outcome of patients tomy in children with raised ICP following TBI [11]. De-
with severe TBI. Bulger et al. [6] compared the manage- compressive craniectomy was undertaken only on nine oc-
ment and outcomes of 182 adult patients with severe TBI casions across the UK over the 1-year period of this study
admitted to 33 US trauma centres. They defined aggres- and appeared to be used later in patients with raised ICP
sive centres as those who instituted ICP monitoring in despite first- and second-tier therapies.
more than 50% of patients with a GCS below 8 and abnor- This study shows that it is feasible to collect a large
mal CT findings. Management at an aggressive centre was volume of data through an organisation with strong com-
associated with a significant reduction in the risk of mortal- mitment but limited resources. The study was inexpensive,
ity and a shorter hospital length of stay for survivors. Til- as centres were offered minimal funding, and its success
ford et al. [7] compared management and outcomes of 477 depended upon the commitment of the participants. Nev-
children with an admitting diagnosis of head trauma admit- ertheless the data returned were generally of high quality
ted to three US paediatric trauma centres. They found sig- with regard to completeness of information. More than
nificant variation in the use of muscle relaxants, anticon- 90% of potential observations were completed, and data
vulsants, induced hypothermia, and ICP monitoring across checking revealed few recordings outside specified ranges
1612

or showing obvious inconsistencies requiring referral back Acknowledgements. We are grateful to all the staff of PICUs who
to the investigator for clarification. A limitation of the completed data collection forms, to Dr. Kathy Rowan of ICNARC
study was that no attempt could be made to confirm the for supplying data on paediatric admissions to adult ICUs, and to
Naveed Hussain, Helen Sherry and Neil Hallworth for database de-
accuracy of the data by comparison with original case sign, data entry and preliminary data processing. The UK Paediatric
records, as this process is extremely expensive in time Traumatic Brain Injury Study Steering Group consists of: K. Morris
and personnel. In addition our findings relate to those (Chair), R. Appleton, M. Crouchman, R. Forsyth, C. Hawley,
cases in which a detailed clinical abstract was completed, M. Marsh, P. May, P. McKinney, J. Middleton, R. Parslow, J. Punt,
T. Ralph and R. Tasker. Participating centres and investigators were:
representing only 69% of the total cases admitted to Addenbrookes Hospital (R. Tasker), Alder Hey Childrens Hospital
participating units. Only two PICUs that admit children (R. Sarginson), Antrim Hospital (A. Ferguson), Beaumont Hospital,
with TBI did not participate in the study. We think it Dublin (E. Keane), Birmingham Childrens Hospital (K. Morris),
unlikely that inclusion of additional cases from these Bristol Childrens Hospital (J. Fraser), City General Hospital,
Stoke (J. Alexander), Derriford Hospital, Plymouth (S. Fergu-
centres would have altered the key conclusions of the son), Great Ormond St. Hospital (M. Kenny, D. Lutman), Guys
study. A further limitation of the study was the reliance on Hospital (A. Durward), Hull Royal Infirmary (H. Klonin), John
intermittent hourly recording of ICP to define a group with Radcliffe Hospital (A. Shefler, C. Killick), Kings College Hospital
raised ICP. It is conceivable that a number of additional (D. Prior, l. Edwards, Y. Egberongbe), Leeds General Infirmary
(T. Chater, M. Darowski), Leicester Royal Infirmary (P. Barry),
children experienced ICP readings above 20 mmHg that Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham (P. Khandelwal), James Cook
were not captured on the hourly chart recordings. University Hospital (A. Robinson), Newcastle General Hospital
(R. Forsyth), Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (B. Taylor),
Royal Berkshire Hospital (A. Maunganidze), Royal Devon & Exeter
Hospital (J. Purday), Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh
Conclusions (M. Lo, D. Simpson), Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow
(P. Cullen), Royal London Hospital (P. Withington), Royal Manch-
There is a need for greater standardisation of practice ester Childrens Hospital (D. Stewart, M. Samuels), Royal Preston
across UK centres admitting children with severe TBI. Hospital (P. Tomlin), Sandwell Hospital (J. Bellin), Sheffield
Less variation in management could have a beneficial Childrens Hospital (T. Ralph), Southampton General Hospital
(C. Boyles), Southern General Hospital, Glasgow (D. Snaddon,
effect on outcomes and would be essential, to reduce A. Wagstaff), St. Georges Hospital (S. Skellett), University Hospital
between centre heterogeneity, before embarking on of Wales (M. Gajraj), Walsgrave Hospital (M. Christie), Walton
multicentre trials. Centre for Neurosurgery (E. Wright).

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