| RescueICP Study |
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 Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) results in 60,000 deaths annually, 44,000 of which occur at the scene or E.R., 16,000 of which occur afterward. The current challenge is to reduce mortality and improve outcomes in TBI cases. While there have been significant reductions in mortality and morbidity in recent years due to factors such as rapid transportation to trauma care facilities, prompt resuscitation, CT scanning, prompt evacuation of significant intracranial hematomas, and ICP monitoring and treatment, further improvements are needed.
The RescueICP project is a prospective randomized trial for evaluation of surgery with Decompressive Craniectomy for Uncontrollable Elevation of Intracranial Pressure. The trial is organized as a collaboration between the University of Cambridge Departments of Neurosurgery/Neuro-intensive Care and the European Brain Injury Consortium. The idea is that this will better define the indications for decompressive craniectomy and the future management of these patients with traumatic brain injury.
The purpose of the trail is to determine the effectiveness of an operation (decompressive craniectomy), compared to medical management alone, to treat brain swelling and improve outcome. The target study group will be ventilated ICP-monitored patients with refractory intracranial hypertension. The two arms of the study will be the continuation of optimal medical management versus surgery (decompressive craniectomy). The study will take place in locations globally, including the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Malaysia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, US (Scripps La Jolla). The study is undergoing and enrolling patients until the end of 2010.
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