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Postconcussion Syndrome (Mild Traumatic Brain Injury)

Vicki R. Nelson, PhD, MD and Jose O Malave, MD Reviewed 06/2022
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Postconcussion syndrome (PCS) is a constellation of symptoms involving physical, cognitive, and/or behavioral symptoms persisting after a concussion (mild traumatic brain injury [mTB...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Detailed history of recent impact and closed head injury, including:

    • Mechanism

    • Timing of injury related to symptoms

    • Previous head injuries, including concussion, and timing of those inju...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Return to full activity should progress according to existing evidence-based recommendations, which include immediate cognitive rest in the acute period (24 to 48 hours) foll...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Schedule regular follow-up to evaluate for persistent symptoms, efficacy of and/or need for neuropsychiatric evaluation, and the efficacy of and/or need for pharm...

REFERENCES

1
Harmon KG, Clugston JR, Dec K, et al. American Medical Society for Sports Medicine position statement on concussion in sport. BJSM. 2019;53:213-225. 
2
McCrory  P, Mee...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Morgan  CD, Zuckerman  SL, Lee  YM, et al. Predictors of postconcussion syndrome after sports-related concussion in young athletes: a matched case-control...

SEE ALSO

Concussion (Mild Traumatic Brain Injury) 

CODES

ICD10

  • F07.81 Postconcussional syndrome

  • S06.9X0A Unsp intracranial injury w/o loss of consciousness, init

  • S06.9X9A Unsp intracranial injury w LOC of unsp duration, init

SNOMED

  • 40425004 postconcussion ...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Imaging is rarely useful for postconcussion syndrome. If necessary, head CT is the test of choice for acute injury to exclude intracranial bleeding.

  • Coordinate multidisciplinary treatme...

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