BACKGROUND Surgery could be used in management of traumatic brain injuries. Extradural haematoma, Subdural haematoma, intracerebral haematoma and depressed skull fractures are operated often. This study examined the functional outcome of patients who had surgery. It also examined the effect of early surgical intervention on the functional outcome of these patients. METHODS A prospective study was carried out on 64 patients who had surgery for traumatic brain injury in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos from October 2008 to September 2009. RESULTS Of the 64 that were studied, 21 were extradural haematoma, 5 acute subdural haematoma, intracebral haematoma , 17 depressed skull fractures and 14 subacute / chronic subdural haematoma. The functional outcome was 70% for extradural, 25% for acute subdural, 66.7% for intacerebral haematoma, 87.5% for depressed skull fractures and 100% for subacute / chronic subdural haematoma . The mortality was 25% for extradural haematoma, 75% for acute subdural haematoma, and depressed skull fractures 5.9%. The functional outcome for those who had surgery within 24hours of injuries was 77.8% with mortality of 22.2%. While those who had surgery 25-48hours of injuries were 52.9% with mortality of 41.2%. Those who had surgery after 48hours had functional outcome of 91.2% with mortality rate of 5.9%. CONCLUSION Early surgical intervention improves functional outcome in traumatic brain injury requiring surgery