European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Traumatic brain injury is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in children.The anatomical features, physiological response to injury, neuronal development, and low myelination in children cause different clinical features compared to adult TBI. The aim is to study the incidence, predisposing factors, clinical presentations, and outcomes of paediatric head injuries. The patients included in this retrospective study are under the age of 14 years and admitted to the neurosurgery department of Siddhartha Medical College, Vijayawada and a tertiary care center.  The study period is one year duration from 1.1.2019 to 31.12.2019. Data was collected on the basis of history, physical examination, baseline investigations, and the plain CT scan in all cases. The paediatric patients were 226 in total, with 743 head injury cases.There were 64.6 % (n= 146) males and 35.4%% (n=80) females. The age ranged from 12 days to 14 years. Fall from height was the commonest cause of head injury found in 48.6% (n=110) cases, road traffic accidents (RTA) in 34.5 % (n =78), and other causes in 16.8 % (n=38). 49(21.68 %) patients had associated injuries. In 55.75% (n=126) cases, mild head injury with GCS 13-15 was present, and severe head injury with GCS less than 8 in 29 (12.8%) patients. The 188 patients are treated conservatively. Thirty-eight patients underwent different neurosurgical procedures, of which five patients died. Conclusion: Head injury in the paediatric age group carries a high risk of morbidity and mortality.Good outcomes are achieved by early diagnosis and referral from primary care centers to tertiary care centers.