Traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic amnesia: a retrospective review of discharge outcomes.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

To investigate if patients with traumatic brain injury, who are discharged to the community before emergence from post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), experience more adverse outcomes than those discharged after emergence from PTA.

RESEARCH DESIGN

A retrospective review of previously collected data and medical records.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Occurrences of adverse events including hospital readmissions, disengagement from follow-up services, non-compliance with discharge precautions, support system breakdown or undue carer strain at the post-discharge clinic review were recorded. The Glasgow Outcome Scale - Extended (GOS-E) and Supervision Rating Scale (SRS) were completed, retrospectively. Twenty-seven patients discharged to the community, prior to emergence from PTA, were compared to 20 patients discharged within seven days of emergence from PTA.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Patients discharged prior to emergence from PTA did not experience an increase in adverse outcomes and showed a higher level of engagement in follow-up services (p = 0.015). There was no difference between groups in the improvements from discharge to clinic review on the GOS-E (p = 0.113) and SRS (p = 0.165).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients can be discharged prior to emergence from PTA, if all other discharge criteria have been met, without an increase in adverse outcomes.