It has become increasingly difficult for the single clinician to cover the whole area of traumatology and particularly neurotraumatology. This is now a science with various specialized fields of research. The results are published in different and special journals, proceedings and books often not easily available to those responsible for the daily practical management of the patients with head injuries. Epidemiological investigations are necessary to evaluate the severity and frequency of accidents and injuries. Such studies will stress the importance of analysis of the causes and also the importance of prevention. They are useful for evaluation of the effects of injuries despite management. Moreover, the researchers of the different aspects may need some knowledge of other links in the chain of events at and after an impact. This is particularly evident with respect to the problems of accident and injury, their prevention, reduction, management and the presentation of the most important clinical features in each case for international comparisons. Therefore it is appropriate to let the different specialists briefly discuss and present their aspects of the subject. Moreover, it may facilitate and stimulate the clinicians in studying special fields of interest. This was the intention behind the "Scandinavian Symposium on Neurotraumatology" held in May 1985 in Gothenburg: - To accumulate wider knowledge for the neurosurgeon and better understanding between the researchers in various fields to the benefit of the coming and present patients. Sten Lindgren Contents Lindgren, S.: Introduction.

Inhalt
Epidemiology.- Epidemiology of Accidents in the Field of Traffic Medicine.- Epidemiology of Head Injuries in Sweden.- Head Injuries in a Population Study.- Acute Injury Statisticsa True Picture?.- Biomechanics; Injury Scaling; Neuropathology.- HICthe Head Injury Criterion.- Injury Scaling.- Time-Related Severity Scaling of Head InjuriesDiscussion on the AIS-Severity CodeEarly and Late.- Acute Injury Scaling Related to Residual Disability.- BiomechanicsMaterial Properties and Tissue Damage.- Head InjuriesBiomechanical Principles.- Experimental Models of Head Injury.- Head and Neck Injuries.- Aspects on Pathology and Neuropathology in Head Injury.- Care in the Acute Phase of Head Injuries.- Care at Accident Site and During Transport.- Guidelines for Care in the Acute Phase in Hospitals Without Neurosurgical Specialists.- Resources for Head Injury Patients at Different Hospital Levels.- Resources for Mild, Moderate and Severe Head Injury Patients.- Resources, Distribution and Management Levels of Head Injury Patients; Place of CT-Scanning.- Diagnostic Terminology of Head Injuries.- Is Diagnostic Severity Grading for Head Injuries Possible?.- Diagnostic Terminology of Head InjuriesRelated to Severity.- Evaluation of Impairment of Consciousness.- Experimental Animal Physiology Related to Brain Stem Control of Wakefulness.- Awareness, Wakefulness and Arousal.- Electrophysiological Assessment of Conscious Level.- Clinical Assessment of Consciousness.- Assessment of Responsiveness in Head Injury Patients.- Practical Assessment of Patients with Head Injuries.- Acute Head InjuryManagement Charts.- Is it Possible to Define a General Conscious Level?.- Factors Restricting the Use of Coma Scales.- Outcome.- Prognosis and Prediction of Outcome inComatose Head Injured Patients.- Dizziness and Vertigo in the Posttraumatic Syndrome.- Possible Mechanisms of Vegetative State.- Abnormalities of Sympathetic Regulation After Cervical Cord Lesions.- Pathophysiology and Pathomorphology.- Molecular Mechanisms for Ischemic Brain Damage and Aspects on Protection.- Structural Aspects of Ischemic Brain Damage.- CBF in Head Injury.- Brain Edema.- Treatment and Prognosis.- Possible Evaluation of Treatment and Prognosis in Brain Contusions by Means of the Isoenzyme Creatine Kinase (CK-BB) in the Blood.- Posttraumatic Monitoring of Intracranial Pressure.- Prognosis as the Basis for Selection to Treatment After Severe Head Injury.- Comments on Nonoperative Treatment of Severe Brain Injuries.- Craniofacial Surgery for Trauma.- Traumatic Intracranial Hematomas: Pathophysiological Aspects on Their Course and Treatment.- Head Injuries in ChildrenSpecial Features.- General Literature.