Military care misses brain injuries

Despite the importance of such diagnoses to wartime medical care, the military hasn't developed a comprehensive plan to treat soldiers with mild and moderate brain injuries, according to a new report. The Pentagon has had traumatic brain injury (TBI) on its radar since at least mid-2006, when a military-generated report suggested that it was critical to develop good screenings for blast-associated TBI and other forms of brain injury. While the military does a good job of treating severe brain injuries, it hasn't been good about spotting problems generated by, say, multiple concussions, researchers noted. Among other things, the panel recommended that the military offer improved protective gear, develop standardized methods for spotting brain injuries on the battlefield and institute TBI screening for all returning troops. This week, the Pentagon said that it would spend $14 million to research blast injuries and other forms of TBI.

For more about the TBI treatment issue:
- read this USA Today item

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