CLINICAL SPECTRUM OF CHILDHOOD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: SIX-YEAR DATA MINING OF PATIENTS MANAGED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR TEACHING HOSPITAL.

Abstract

Background: Injury is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization of young people, with millions worldwide sustaining a traumatic injury requiring hospitalisation each year. Aim of the study: To study the pattern and quantum of traumatic brain injury managed in our institution. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective review of all children aged 0 to 12 years treated for TBI at the UCTH between January, 2016 and December, 2020. Clinico-demographic details of the patients were obtained and analysed. Results: The mean age of the patients was 58.61±29.36 with male to female ratio of 1.4 to 1.The mean Glasgow Coma Score was 8.63 ±3. Falls, mostly from domestic accident and pedestrian traffic injuries were the most frequent aetiologies (39.77% and 34.09% respectively). Extra-axial bleed was found in 29.55% (26/88) of the patients while cerebral contusion was found in 31.82% (28/88) of the patients. Scalp injury occurred in 27.27% (24/88) patients while 17.05% (15/88) had skull fracture. Operative treatment was carried out in 20.45% of the patients. More than eighteen percent {18.18% (16/88)} had blood transfusion in the course of treatment. Conclusion: The toddlers and pre-school age children had the highest frequency of traumatic brain injury in this study accounting for 56.82% (50/88) of the total number of patients. Severe traumatic brain injury was the most common type of head injury in this study with a frequency of 44.32%. The recovery rate was high with 98.86% of the patients recovering with a GCS of 14/15 to 15/15 at the time of discharge from the hospital. Fall mostly from domestic accident was the most common aetiology and responsible for 39.77% of the patients studied.