Outcome of traumatic head injury in unknown patients

Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury is the most common cause of death in trauma victims accounting for about half of deaths at the accident site. Most commonly, traumatic brain injury occurs in the presence of additional injuries to other major organ systems, but it can also occur in isolation. Complications from closed head injuries are the single largest cause of morbidity and mortality in patients who reach the hospital alive. The objective of this study was to determine the outcome of traumatic head injury in patients admitted in the Department of Neurosurgery as unknown.Methods: All patients admitted as “unknown” to Neurosurgery department with traumatic head injury were studied retrospectively. Data was collected regarding demography, mode of injury, clinical presentation at the time of admission, management and outcome of these patients.Results: Data pertaining to 107 unknown patients were collected. Most patients were found to be males in 3rd decade of their lives with vehicular accidents as the common mode of injury. Patients presenting with Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score <8 at the time of admission had poor outcome and associated with higher mortality. Intra-cranial hemorrhage were predominantly found on CT scan. Only one-third of the patients were discharged after treatment while half of them suffered untimely death.Conclusions: Outcome of these neglected patients is poorer in comparison to patients who are accompanied by their relatives. Their management from pre-hospital to treatment and discharge from hospital is fraught with challenges. They need special care from trained nursing staff as well as help from social workers for recovery and rehabilitation.