Citation

Shokunbi T, Olurin O. West Afr. J. Med. 1994; 13(1): 38-42.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, West African College of Physicians and West African College of Surgeons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8080830

Abstract

Ninety-nine children who suffered head injuries between January, 1988 and June, 1989 were analysed. These form approximately 60% of the total number of children with head injury seen at our institution over this period. The mean age (+/- SD) was 77.5 (+/- 53.1) months. There were more males than females (1.8:1). The two most frequent causes of head injury were pedestrian-vehicular accidents, PVA, (38%) and falls at home, FH, (40%). Fifty-two per cent of the patients sustained a loss of consciousness at presentation, 43% exhibited additional neurological deficits. Skull fractures were present in 45%. There were 2 deaths in this group. Only 8% of the patients underwent surgery which was limited to elevation of compound depressed skull fractures. By the time of discharge, neural deficits were present in 17%. 56 patients were followed-up over a mean period of 4 months. 82% of them were neurologically normal, Head injury from vehicular accidents affected older children, was more severe, but recovered as well as that from falls, except with respect to mental status function.

Language: en