Prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury in Multiple Trauma Evaluations at the Emergency Department of Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar

Abstract

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to determine the prevalence of traumatic brain injury resulting from multiple trauma cases presented at the Emergency Department of Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar.

METHODOLOGY

A prospective study was conducted over six months, from January-May 2022. The study included 580 patients with both major and minor traumas who sought medical attention at the facility. A thorough neurological and systemic assessment, including the Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), was conducted. Neuroimaging, along with other essential system imaging, was performed to aid diagnosis. Diagnosis of traumatic brain injury was based on clinical signs, symptoms, physical examination findings, and special investigations such as X-ray, CT brain, and MRI scans. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 to determine the prevalence and characteristics of traumatic brain injury among the study participants.

RESULTS

During the study period, a total of 580 patients visited the accident and emergency department of Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. All 580 individuals were eligible for a CT scan of the brain. Among these patients, 455 (78%) had normal CT scans. Traumatic brain injuries were identified in the following proportions: brain contusion in 14.1% of cases, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in 7.1%, acute subdural hematoma (SDH) in 7.6%, extradural hematoma (EDH) in 5.8%, and depressed skull fracture in 4.6%. Additionally, pneumocephalus was observed in 5.1% of CT images.

CONCLUSION

The findings highlight the importance of prompt and thorough evaluation, including CT scans, in the management of such cases to ensure timely and appropriate interventions.