| Popis: |
Based on the efforts originally made by TONNIS and LOEW (16) and continued by a great number of authors to establish a prognostic classification of brain damage BUES (4) classified four grades of seriousness which were simplified by LOEW and HERRMANN (13). According to this classification, a first assessment of the seriousness of brain damage can be made from both the type and the duration of the disturbances of brain function. Other classifications have been based on the same factors, as can be seen from the summarized report by MULLER (14). BRAAKMANN (1) was able to show that a certain prognosis can be established by certain symptoms or combinations of symptoms in relation to the time elapsed after trauma (cf. 10). Furthermore, the development of intensive therapy has shown that besides type and duration of functional disturbances it is also the age of the patient which is of prognostic importance. This can be seen from statistics on mortality, especially the excellent studies by CARLSSON et al. (5), GOUTELLE and MOURET (9), and many others. This third factor, that of age, has not so far been sufficiently considered in the various prognosis schemes, with the possible exception of the one drawn up by OVERGAARD (15). The questions are, what symptoms allow a prognostic classification, in what way, until what time, and at what age. |
