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SM Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Epidemiological Profile of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Children

[ ISSN : 2573-3419 ]

Abstract
Details

Received: 20-Mar-2017

Accepted: 06-Apr-2017

Published: 10-Apr-2017

Rachid Khemakhem¹*, Kawther Aloui¹, Houda Rahay¹, Faouzi Nouira¹, Fouzia Chennoufi¹, Héla Louati², Sofiane Ghorbel¹, Sonia Ben Khalifa³, Ibtisem Bellagha², and Said Jlidi¹

¹Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Faculty of Medicine Tunis El Manar, Tunisia

²Department of Pediatric Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Faculty of Medicine Tunis El Manar, Tunisia

³Department of Anesthesia and ICU, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Faculty of Medicine Tunis El Manar, Tunisia

Corresponding Author:

Rachid Khemakhem, Department of Pediatric Surgery “B”, Children’s Hospital of Tunis, Bab Saadoun Place 1007, Tunisia; Tel: 00216 97 546 249 or 00216 71 577800; Email: rachid.khemakhem@ rns.tn

Keywords

Head trauma; domestic accident; Public road accident; Children; Neurological sequelae

Abstract

The head injury is one of the most common traumatic pathology that may be the cause of serious sequelae; particularly since it mainly affects the young active population

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the epidemiologic profile of victims of head trauma and the lesion characteristics.

Patients and methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study including all children (age 0 to 15 years) who have been hospitalized in the year 2010 for head injury in our department.

A total of 191 children (131 boys and 60 girls) with a mean age of 5, 94 years were managed. The causes of head injury were: domestic accidents in 65, 9% of cases, accident of public roads in 32, 5% of cases and aggression in 3 cases. Head injuries were benign in 83, 4% of cases, moderate in 8, 9% of cases and severe in 3, 7% of cases. 188 patients were explored by CT scan that objectified an elementary lesion in 63, 3% of cases. In major cases, treatment consisted in saline infusion, oxygenation and neurological monitoring. Intubation and mechanical ventilation was necessary in only 11 cases (5, 76%). Evolution was satisfactory in 96% of cases. Five patients died in our series and tow had major neurological sequelae.

Conclusion: Head trauma is common in children especially in males. Although most of them are benign, it may in some cases be responsible for major neurological sequelae.

Citation

Khemakhem R, Aloui K, Rahay H, Nouira F, Chennoufi F, Louati H, et al. Epidemiological Profile of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Children. SM J Pediatr Surg. 2017; 3(1): 1040