[Practical assessment of brain dysfunction in severe head trauma (author's transl)].

Assessment of brain dysfunction in head injured patients is important as an index of severity of brain damage and forms the basis of monitoring. . The Glasgow Coma scale (G.C.S.) is a practical scale for nurses. The Liege Coma scale contains the three variables of the G.C.S. and provides informations concerning the brain stem reflexes. In a series of 60 head-injured patients, recovery rates were calculated on the basis of either Glasgow scores or Liege scores. The Liege Coma scale provides a more sensitive index of clinical course and a better prognosis.