Retrospective analysis of 954 adult patients with head injury: an epidemiological study

BACKGROUND Head traumas are among the most common causes of mortality and morbidity among young adults in urban areas. We aimed to contribute to the epidemiological database of our country with regard to head traumas. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 954 patients older than 15 years with head trauma who were treated in the Neurosurgery Department of Samsun Mehmet Aydin Education and Research Hospital between January 2003 and June 2008. Seven hundred twenty-one (75.5%) patients were male and 233 (24.5%) were female. Five hundred twenty-one (52.5%) were between 15-40 years old. RESULTS Traffic accident (75%) was the most common cause of head trauma. According to Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), 48% of the patients had mild (13-15), 31% moderate (9-12) and 21% severe (3-8) head injury. One hundred seventy-seven (18.5%) patients were operated. The commonest operations were performed for subdural and epidural hematomas. Mortality was 19.4% (185). Common causes of mortality were traffic accidents (77%) and gunshot injuries. CONCLUSION It is important to have local epidemiological studies and data about head traumas in order to prevent these traumas. In this study, the predominance of young men and the causes of trauma and mortality were similar to that reported in the related literature.