DEVELOPING A GUIDELINE FOR NEUROTRAUMA IN NIGERIA.

BACKGROUND: The Nigerian Academy of Neurological Surgeons in 2019 resolved to standardize the practice of Neurosurgery in Nigeria. It set up Committees to standardize the various aspects of neurosurgery viz. Neurotrauma, Paediatrics, Functional, Vascular, Skull Base, Brain Tumour and Spine. The Committee on Neurotrauma convened and resolved to study most of the available protocols and guidelines in use in different parts of the world. OBJECTIVE: To formulate a standard protocol for the practice of neurotrauma care within the Nigerian locality. METHODS: The Committee split its membership into three Sub-Committees to cover the various aspects of the Neurotrauma Guidelines viz. Neurotrauma Curriculum, Standard Neurotrauma Management Protocols and Neurotrauma Registry. Each Sub-Committee was to research on available models and formulate a draft for Nigerian Neurotrauma. RESULTS: All the three sub-committees had their reports ready on schedule. Each concurred that neurotrauma is a major public health challenge in Nigeria. They produced three different drafts on the three thematic areas of the project. The sub-committees are: 1. Sub-committee on Fellowship, Training and Research Curriculum. 2. Sub-committee on Standard Protocols and Management Guidelines. 3. Sub-committee of the Nigerian Neurotrauma Registry CONCLUSION: The Committee concluded that a formal protocol for neurotrauma care is long overdue in Nigeria for the standardization of all aspects of neurotrauma. It then recommended the adoption of these guidelines by all institutions offering services in Nigeria using the management protocols, opening a registry and mounting researches on the various aspects of neurotrauma.