• Dursun Aygün, Hakan Güven, Zahide Doğanay, Levent Altintop, Fikret Bildik, Murat Yerliyurt, and Havva Sahin.
• Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi Tip Fakültesi Acil Tip ABD Kurupelit 55139-Samsun. daygun@omu.edu.tr
• Ulus Travma Derg. 2002 Apr 1;8(2):65-73.

BackgroundWe aim was to review the basic concepts and to analyze the current management of cerebral edema following acute head trauma (AHT).MethodCerebral edema should be recognized and treated early and aggressively to avoid disastrous results such as cerebral herniation. After clinical evaluation and early cardiorespiratory stabilization, the patients should be treated with the elevation of head, oxygen, mannitol, hyperventilation, and sedation-myorelaxation and may avoid from hypotension-hypoxia. If these treatments be unsuccessful, barbiturates may be used. There are also other possibilities such as hypothermia, ventriculostomy, hypertonic saline and neuroprotector agents.ConclusionsAll patients with AHT should be evaluated early and cerebral edema should be treated with correct therapy. Therefore, the mortality and morbidity rates may reduce.

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