Impact of Initial Care at a Neurosurgery-Capable Facility on Mortality Among Patients with…

Cohort studyNeurocritical care· Aug 2026

Impact of Initial Care at a Neurosurgery-Capable Facility on Mortality Among Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in South Africa.

Smitha Bhaumik, Lani Finck, Jessica Wild … Nee-Kofi Mould-Millman

Emergency Trauma CareCohort studyClinical practiceQ1IF 3.3

Impact of Initial Care at a Neurosurgery-Capable Facility on Mortality Among Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in South Africa.

Smitha Bhaumik … Nee-Kofi Mould-Millman

Neurocritical care · Aug 2026 · Q1 in Neurology

Background

Moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI) disproportionately affects populations in low- and middle-income countries.

Purpose

This study examines how initial care at a neurosurgery-capable facility (neurosurgery-capable facility) affects survival.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of data collected in the EpiC study from the Western Cape of South Africa.

n = 620 patients

Results

lower death rates when initial care starts at a neurosurgery-capable hospital

OR 0.51 (95% CI 0.34 to 0.75)

null 1

0.34

0.75

CI excludes the null - significant

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Conclusion

Direct transport to neurosurgery-capable facility was associated with improved survival for patients with msTBI in South Africa.