Epidemiologic and clinical features of cases applying to Celal Bayar University emergency unit with head trauma

BACKGROUND: Head trauma (HT) patients constitute a major part of referrals to emergency unit (EU). We aimed to evaluate cases with HT who applied to our emergency unit retrospectively. METHODS: A hundred and seventy seven HT cases who applied to EU between January 1, 2001 - June 30, 2003 were analyzed. Age, gender of the patients, time of intervention, type of trauma, level of consciousness, severity of trauma, concomitant systemic trauma, neuroradiological evaluation, intervention in EU, operation requirement and outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Patients (men, 73.44% and women 26.55 %) referred because of traffic accidents (32 ± 19 yrs;59.88 %) and other etiologies (21 ± 17 yrs;40.11 %). According to Glasgow coma scale (GCS) 79.1% had minimal or mild (GCS:13-15), 3.95% had moderate (GCS:9-12), and 16.95% had severe HT (GCS:3-8). On craniography fracture was present in 25.99%,and on cranial CT lesions were present in 25.99% of the cases. Some of them (18.64%) were discharged after first examination, and 14.12% after short observation. They (24.29%) were admitted to neurosurgery, and 4.52% of them to intensive care units; 4.52% of the cases died in EU; 9.04% of the patients underwent neurosurgical operations. CONCLUSION: While traffic accidents constitute the primary cause of adulthood HT, falls take the lead during childhood. HT is usually of minimal or mild severity. Collaboration in patient transport, first aid and EU are important factors affecting prognosis of HT.

Celal Bayar Üniversitesi Týp Fakültesi acil birimine baþvuran kafa travmalý olgularýn epidemiyolojik ve klinik özellikleri