Hyd: Golden Hour Critical in Neurotrauma Care, Says KIMS Chairman Bhaskar Rao
Hyderabad, Aug 8 (TNT): Timely treatment within the first hour after a road accident, head injury or spinal trauma can significantly improve survival and reduce disability, KIMS Group of Hospitals Chairman and Managing Director Dr Bhaskar Rao Bollineni said here on Friday.
He was speaking at the inauguration of a three-day National Conference on Neurotrauma and Neurotrauma Nursing, organised by the Neurotrauma Society of India in collaboration with the Department of Neurosurgery, KIMS Hospitals.
Dr Bhaskar Rao said road traffic injuries had emerged as a major cause of disability among young people in India. Head injuries due to falls were more common among children, motorcycle accidents were a major contributor among young adults, road traffic injuries predominated among middle-aged people, while falls among the elderly frequently resulted in brain and spinal injuries.
Dr Manas Panigrahi, Head of the Department of Neurosurgery and Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon at KIMS Hospitals, described traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a growing public health challenge in India.
Citing the World Health Organization’s 2023 report, he said the global incidence of TBI had declined by 5.5 per cent, while India had recorded an 11.1 per cent increase.
India accounts for 10 per cent of global road traffic deaths despite having about one per cent of the world’s vehicles, Dr Panigrahi said, pointing to serious gaps in road safety systems. Referring to World Bank data from 2021, he said India recorded 480,652 road accidents and 150,785 deaths, compared with about 2.21 million accidents and 27,461 deaths in the United States.
More than half of road traffic deaths in India involve pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, while about 66 per cent of crashes occur in rural areas.
Mortality is nearly twice as high among low-income households, he said.
Proper helmet use could reduce the risk of TBI by up to 74 per cent, but helmet compliance remained between 22 and 55 per cent, he said.
Nearly one-third of trauma patients reach hospitals more than 24 hours after injury, substantially worsening outcomes.
Quoting a NIMHANS study, Dr Panigrahi said 77 per cent of patients had mild TBI and 48 per cent had normal CT scans, underscoring the need for medical evaluation even when a head injury appeared minor.
He called for greater public awareness, strict enforcement of helmet laws, improved emergency services in rural areas and systems to ensure that accident victims reach hospitals within the golden hour to reduce TBI-related mortality.
Highlighting the importance of nursing care in neurotrauma, he said early assessment of airway, blood pressure, level of consciousness, pupillary response and limb movements immediately after admission often played a decisive role in saving lives.
The scientific programme includes sessions on emergency neurotrauma care, golden-hour management of road traffic injuries, brain swelling monitoring, neurocritical care, postoperative care, spinal trauma management, neurotrauma in children and the elderly, artificial intelligence in neurotrauma and rehabilitation.
A dedicated Neurotrauma Nursing Symposium is also being held, with practical workshops on early recognition of neurological deterioration, operating theatre safety, spinal trauma nursing, neuro-ICU monitoring and safe transfer of patients from intensive care units to wards.
Leading neurosurgeons, neurocritical care specialists, trauma experts and nursing educators from across the country are participating in the conference. Dr Panigrahi said the meeting aimed to strengthen coordinated neurotrauma care involving doctors, nurses and emergency medical personnel.
Among those present were Dr Raghavendra, Consultant Neuro and Spine Surgeon, KIMS Hospital Gachibowli; Dr Swetha, Neurosurgeon, KIMS Hospitals Secunderabad; Dr Sumit Sinha, President of the Neurotrauma Society of India; and members of the organising committee.
TNT TS
