CLASSIFICATION OF THE SPECTRUM OF MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a very common injury, resulting i n immediate and possible long-term symptoms. The accurate and consiste nt definition of mild TBI is important in the initial and rehabilitati on management of the injury, and in research concerning mild TBI. A de finition of mild TBI has been developed by the Head Injury Interdiscip linary Special Interest Group of the American Congress of Rehabilitati on Medicine. Within the spectrum of injury severity in mild TBI there are several classification systems, primarily used in management of ac ute mild TBI, that breakdown mild TBI into grades of injury severity. These are based upon the presence or absence of mental status changes, amnesia, loss of consciousness, anatomical lesion or neurological def icit.