Perspectives of Turkish Neurosurgeons on Concussion/Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: a National Survey

Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the adherence to and awareness of current concussion/mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) guidelines among Turkish neurosurgeons. MATERIAL and METHODS: A cross-sectional electronic survey was administered to all members of the Turkish Neurosurgical Society (n=1875 neurosurgeons) between January and February 2024. The 208 respondents (11.1%) were categorized based on years of neurosurgery specialization, type of current institution, residency program accreditation, and current institution accreditation. RESULTS: The majority of the participants (66.3%) were employed in Tertiary-level Healthcare (TLH) institutions. In TLH settings, Emergency Medicine Practitioners (EMPs) were primarily responsible for the initial computed tomography (CT) scan for pediatric patients, while this decision was also made by EMPs for adult patients, regardless of years of experience in neurosurgery specialization. Participants enrolled in residencies at accredited institutions were more likely to obtain detailed patient histories. The rates of adherence to current guidelines were comparable across institutions, regardless of their accreditation status. CONCLUSION: This pioneering study evaluating neurosurgeons' adherence to and awareness of concussion/mTBI guidelines revealed a uniformity in compliance among Turkish practitioners, irrespective of years of experience, institutional type, or accreditation status.