Ritual head computed tomography may unnecessarily delay lifesaving trauma care.

Examination of 462 consecutive patients with blunt trauma suggested reassessment of the timing of head computed tomographic (CT) scanning in the critical care of the seriously injured. Even though potential brain injury was the most common reason for admission, few (5 percent) of the patients required neurosurgical intervention. It is apparent that the more common non-neurosurgical procedures that were used to squelch hemorrhage and provide hemodynamic stability and airway control should not be delayed to obtain "routine" head CT scans.