Traumatic brain injury and treatment with hypertonic sodium lactate. Will it become the best management alternative?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common neurological disorders at the present time. The consequences are so devastating that up to 39% of the patients die from trauma and 60% of the survivors will have cognitive and/or motor deficits. Objective To analyse the current evidence on the management of severe traumatic brain injury and the clinical outcome achieved with the use of hypertonic sodium lactate. Methodology A search of the scientific literature was conducted in the EMBASE, PubMed/Medline, OVID and Science Direct databases with the aim of preparing a reflection article, using the words “traumatic brain injury”, “hypertonic sodium lactate”, “metabolism in brain injury”, “management of traumatic brain injury”, focusing on the potential benefits of hypertonic sodium lactate, regardless of the date of publication. Results The use of hypertonic sodium lactate has been shown to have a successful impact on the dismal prognosis of TBI, modulating intracranial hypertension and cerebral oxidative metabolic dysfunction. This has been proven in vitro, in animal models, and in humans. Conclusion Efforts to find better clinical outcomes in patients with TBI have confirmed the need for new management alternatives supported by the understanding of the pathophysiology. Given its multiple modulating endocrine-metabolic effects on secondary injury, lactate has been found to be a promising therapy in the management of TBI.