Comprehending concussion: evolving and expanding our clinical insight.

CASTING THE NET WIDE The current consensus definition provides a broad clinicopathological description of concussion. It encompasses the wide range of clinical presentations that result from traumatic forces transmitted to the brain. In its most literal interpretation, any post-traumatic symptom or sign fits the definition of concussion. Consequently, the current definition has high sensitivity, but lacks specificity. This issue has been highlighted in recent papers. The purpose of ‘casting a large net’ is to capture all possible concussions and manage these injuries conservatively. This position is driven by the lack of reliable and specific diagnostic markers, and concerns related to potential complications associated with concussion. Compounding this, risk factors for complications remain unclear and currently there are few prognostic factors to accurately predict outcomes following concussion.