Late one evening, Arvind (name changed), a 35-year-old office worker from Jaipur, was brought to the Emergency Department at Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon, following a road traffic accident on the highway. He had been riding a two-wheeler when he was struck by a speeding vehicle. On arrival, he was unconscious, with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 7, indicating severe head trauma.
A trauma code was immediately activated. CT imaging revealed an acute subdural hematoma, bleeding between the brain and its outer covering, along with midline shift and raised intracranial pressure. The findings were life-threatening and left no time to spare. The neurosurgery team quickly moved Arvind to the operating theatre for an emergency craniotomy, a procedure in which part of the skull is removed to evacuate the clot and relieve pressure on the brain.
The surgery was complex but successful. Over the next 48 hours in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit, Arvind remained on ventilatory support while his condition was closely monitored. Gradually, signs of improvement began to emerge—his pupil response returned to normal, and his GCS began to rise. With careful neurocritical care, including intracranial pressure management, physiotherapy, and infection control, Arvind continued to show neurological recovery.
Within ten days, he was conscious, responsive, and able to follow basic commands. Over the following weeks, he underwent intensive rehabilitation, including speech and mobility therapy. By the end of the second month, he had regained significant cognitive and physical function and was able to walk with minimal support.
Today, Arvind is back with his family and continuing outpatient neuro-rehabilitation. His case is a powerful reminder of how rapid diagnosis, skilled neurosurgery, and critical care coordination can make the difference between life and death in cases of severe head trauma.
At Artemis Hospitals, our trauma and neuro teams work around the clock to deliver immediate, high-level care when every second counts.
