Lucknow: A 26-member multidisciplinary panel of Indian experts has released the “Expert Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) 2026”, providing a comprehensive roadmap for the treatment of head injury patients from the accident site to rehabilitation. Published in the Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine (IJCCM), the guidelines have been developed under the aegis of the Society of Neurocritical Care (SNCC).Among the contributors are two Lucknow-based specialists, Dr Yash Javeri of Regency Hospital and Dr Lokendra Gupta, director trauma, Medanta Lucknow, and founder-president of the Society of Acute Care, Trauma and Emergency Medicine (SACTEM).Emphasising the importance of early intervention, Dr Gupta said, “In traumatic brain injury, the first few minutes and hours can significantly influence outcomes. Treatment does not begin in the ICU; it begins at the accident site. Timely first response, appropriate transport, early emergency care and seamless coordination with neurosurgical and critical-care teams can prevent secondary brain injury and save lives.”The expert panel undertook structured reviews across 11 key areas of TBI care and used the internationally accepted GRADE methodology to formulate recommendations. The guidelines cover pre-hospital and ambulance care, emergency management, neuroimaging, intracranial pressure monitoring, medical and surgical neurocritical care, blood-pressure and respiratory management, prevention of complications, prognostication, rehabilitation and trauma-system strengthening.The document highlights the disproportionate burden of head injuries in India, noting that the country accounts for nearly 10% of global road-traffic deaths despite having only about 1% of the world’s vehicles. It stresses that delays in airway management, resuscitation, imaging, control of intracranial pressure and transfer to specialised centres can significantly worsen outcomes.A key feature of the guidelines is their focus on India’s diverse healthcare settings. The recommendations consider not only scientific evidence but also feasibility, cost, resource availability and health equity, making them relevant for both advanced tertiary-care centres and resource-constrained hospitals.The authors hope the guidelines will help standardise TBI care, reduce secondary brain injury, improve neurological outcomes and strengthen trauma-care systems across the country.
