Information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that some 2 million Americans experience traumatic brain injuries (TBI) annually.

With TBI cases, prompt emergency care is vital. To that end, researchers at Arizona State University have developed EPIC, an innovative emergency treatment for first responders to use.

About TBI

There are two forms of TBI. The open form occurs when a foreign object penetrates the skull and enters the brain. The closed form, which is much more common, results from a violent blow to the head, such as the impact a car crash might cause. Even a mild injury causes some level of brain damage that may produce long-range issues with thinking or memory.

The EPIC program

In 2019, researchers at Arizona State University released information about EPIC, the Excellence in Prehospital Injury Care Project. The main issue: First responders coming to an injury site have only minutes to treat TBI before brain cells begin to die. The highly effective solution involves the use of a breathing bag with a light that flashes, indicating the exact time to give high-flow oxygen to the patient. Of the 21,852 patients in the EPIC study population, adjusted survival to hospital discharge doubled statewide. Adjusted survival tripled among those who required breathing assistance.

A look ahead

A traumatic brain injury can be as mild as a concussion or so significant that the impairment can last a lifetime. ASU researchers believe that, in the future, the EPIC emergency procedures will become the norm bringing vital, timely care for TBI victims everywhere. In the meantime, regardless of the kind of emergency care they receive, those who suffer TBI due to the negligence of another have a right to expect full and fair compensation. A just settlement should cover current and future medical expenses, loss of income and more.