Citation

Ibrahim M, Mu'azu AL, Idris N, Rabiu MU, Jibir BW, Getso KI, Mohammad MA, Owolabi FL. Afr. J. Paediatr. Surg. 2015; 12(1): 23-28.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Murtala Mohammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, Nigeria.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Child Health International, Publisher Medknow Publications)

DOI

10.4103/0189-6725.150943

PMID

25659545

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) has high rate of mortality and morbidity worldwide. There are dearths of reports from developing countries with large paediatric population on trauma; neurosurgery trauma of nonaccidental origin is not an exemption. This study analysed menace of non-accidental TBI in the paediatric population from our center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a single unit, retrospective study of the epidemiology of non-accidental TBI in children starting from September, 2008 to March, 2014. The management outcomes of the epidemiology of the non-accidental TBI were analysed.

RESULTS: Total of 109 children age range from 0 (intra-natal) to 16 years with a mean of 5.8 ± 4.6 years (median, 5 years) were enrolled into the study. 34 (31.2%) were domestic violence, 26 (23.9%) street assaults, 16 (14.7%) were due to animal assaults and mishaps, 17 (15.6%) fall from heights. Seven (6.4%) cases of collapsed buildings were also seen during the period. Four (3.7%) industrial accidents and two (1.8%) were self-inflicted injuries. There were also three (2.8%) cases of iatrogenic TBI out of which two infants (1.8%) sustained TBI from cesarean section procedure while one patient (0.9%) under general anaesthesia felt from the operation bed resulting to severe TBI.

CONCLUSION: Child abuse, unprotected child labour, parental/care-givers negligence are the main cause of nonaccidental TBI. Human right activists and government agents should be incorporated in curtailing the menace.

Language: en