Çukurova Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi (Feb 2013)
Evaluation of Head Trauma Cases in the Emergency Department
Abstract
Aim: In this study, we aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics, morbidity and mortality rates of patients admitted to the emergency department with head trauma. Material and Methods: In this study, ambulatory and hospitalized patients over the age of 18 brought to the Emergency Department because of head trauma between 01.12.2009 - 31.12.2010 were analyzed retrospectively. Patient data were recorded to standard data entry form. SPSS 17.0 package program was used for statistical analysis of data. The statistical significance level of all tests was p <0.05. Results: 5200 patients were included in this study. The average age of the patients was 39.97 ± 16.66 years. 4682'si patients (90 %) were discharged from the emergency department. The most common reason for admission to the emergency department was falls (41.81 %) in the discharged patients. 518 (10 %) patients were hospitalized. Gender of these patients was 110 female (21:24%) and 408 male (78.76%). 256 patients (48.35%) were injured as a result of a traffic accident. 201(38.8%) of the cerebral CT were reported as normal and 89 (17.2%) of the cerebral CT were reported as traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in hospitalized patients. The fracture of lumbar spine (12 %) was detected as an additional pathological disease in patients. 75 patients hospitalized because of head trauma (14.5%) had died (1.44 % of all patients). Cervical spine fracture was the most common (14 patients, 18.68 %) additional pathology in patients who died. Thoracic trauma was detected as the second most common (13 patients, 17.33 %) additional pathology. Conclusion: Most of the patients admitted to the emergency department with head injury had a minor trauma. Patients can be discharged from the emergency department after a thorough physical examination and simple medical intervention. Most of the head injury patients admitted to hospital were male. The most common reason of the patients with head injury admitted to hospital was traffic accident. The most common finding of cerebral CT was SAH. Even though traffic accidents are the most common causes of death, gunshot wounds have higher death rate. This study will help emergency physicians to approach with head trauma patients and contribute to their clinical experiences. Our country-specific emergency trauma protocols can be created after more detailed studies. [Cukurova Med J 2013; 38(1.000): 63-71]
