Epidemiology and management of paediatric head injury in eastern Nepal
A Agrawal1, C S Agrawal, A Kumar
1Department of Surgery, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
Insights
Pediatric head injuries are most common from falls, with mild cases showing good recovery. Severe head injuries in children have a 100% mortality rate, highlighting the need for targeted safety interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Epidemiology of Injury
- Child Health Management
Background:
- Head injuries in children are frequent, with management of severe cases requiring systematic protocols.
- Understanding the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of pediatric head injuries is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the demographic profile and causes of pediatric head injury.
- To analyze clinical and radiological features of head injury patients.
- To evaluate treatment strategies and outcomes for pediatric head injuries.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pediatric head injury cases (age <16 years) over one year.
- Data collection included demographics, clinical presentation, investigations, treatment, and outcomes.
- Statistical analysis performed using SPSS software.
Main Results:
- 43 pediatric patients studied, with a mean age of 7.67 years; young males were more affected.
- Falls (65.11%) were the leading cause, followed by road traffic accidents (RTAs) (25.6%).
- Mild head injuries (65.11%) had good recovery; severe head injuries resulted in 100% mortality.
Conclusions:
- Road traffic accidents are common in urban Nepal, while falls are prevalent in rural areas.
- Child safety legislation and targeted intervention programs are essential for Nepal.
- Effective management of pediatric head injuries necessitates a team approach and adherence to protocols.
Background:
In children, majority of the head injuries are minor and management of critically ill children depend on a team approach using well-rehearsed, systematic management protocols that can be implemented within hours after injury. This study was carried out to ascertain the epidemiology and management of know the demographic profile and etiology of paediatric head injury in our setting, to know the clinical and radiological characteristics of head injury patients and to know the treatment options and outcome in paediatric head injuries.
Patients And Methods:
Details of all children (age <16 years) with head injury seen in 1 year from 01.04.2005 to 31.03.2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic profile, clinical details, investigations, treatment offered, and outcome were noted in a proforma. All data were analyzed by appropriate SPSS 11.0 statistical software tools.
Results:
There were total 43 patients. Young male children were more commonly affected in present series with a mean age of 7.67 years (median - 5.010 years), range 6 months-16 year. Fall (65.11%) was the most common mode of injury followed by road traffic accidents (RTAs) (25.6%). Mild head injuries (65.11%) were most common. Most common complaint was loss of consciousness and all the patients with severe head injury presented loss of consciousness. All patients with mild head showed good recovery; with moderate head injury, nine patients showed good recovery and three patients recovered with moderate disability. Patients with severe head injury (three patients) had 100% mortality.
Conclusions:
In urban areas of Nepal, RTAs like vehicular crashes, motor cycle accidents, and pedestrian hit by moving vehicle are more common and in rural areas fall from height are commoner. We need to develop child safety legislations and risk-specific intervention programs in Nepal.
