Glasgow Coma Scale
The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) provides for the straight forward and rapid assessment of the conscious state of a person suspected of having recently experienced injury to the brain. It was developed in 1974 by two internationally recognised neurosurgeons, Professor Emeritus Sir Graham Teasdale and Professor Bryan Jennett (1926 – 2008). The GCS then progressively became an integral part of clinical practice and research across the world.
40 years after its description, the scale was the subject of a review in 'The Lancet Neurology'. This contained the results of a survey that showed that the GCS is in use by neurosurgeons and other disciplines in more than 80 countries worldwide and has been translated into the national language in 74%. The review also noted a continuing rise in the use of the scale in research reports making it the most frequently quoted paper in clinical neurosurgery.
To mark the anniversary a refreshed structured approach to assessment of the GCS has been developed and is presented in a specially commissioned video at the new Glasgow Coma Scale website.