Emergency neurosurgery for traumatic brain injury by general surgeons at local hospitals in Sweden: a viable option when time is brain.

Background: Timing of surgical evacuation of mass lesions in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is crucial. However, due to geographical variations, transportation time to the nearest neurosurgical department may be long. To save time, general surgeons at a local hospital may perform the operation, despite more limited experience in neurosurgical techniques.