Indication of Cranial CT Scan after Post-Traumatic Seizure in Children: A Retrospective Study at CHUJRA, Madagascar

Abstract

Background: Post-traumatic seizures (PTS) in children are a frequent complication of head trauma. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical profiles of children admitted with PTS and evaluate the relevance of cranial computed tomography (CT) scan indications based on clinical presentation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of 78 of 696 children admitted for head trauma in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Center Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona between January 2017 and December 2019. Results: PTS occurred in 20.7% of the cases. A CT scan was performed in 54.2% of the children who had seizures. Most seizures were early (88.5%) or single (80.8%), with a preserved Glasgow score (≥ 13 in 74.4%). CT scans were normal in 35.9% of cases. The main abnormalities were simple skull fractures (25.6%) and depression fractures (23.1%). Conclusion: CT should be reserved for children with multiple seizures, neurological deficits, low Glasgow scores, or prolonged loss of consciousness.