The audit of traumatic head injuries in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Trauma and trauma related deaths are a major health concerns in any country of which half of the deaths are due to head injuries. Yet reliable statistics are difficult to discover from routinely collected data. This study helps to analyse the epidemiology, mortality and morbidity of traumatic head injury patients in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai.Methods: Retrospective data of one year (1st January 2019 to 31st December 2019) was collected from Medical records department. Demographic data, mode of injury, severity of injury, interventions done, duration of hospital stay, mortality and morbidity were recorded.Results: Of the total 944 cases recorded, 785 (83%) were males. More than half of the patients were below 40 years of age. The leading cause of trauma was RTA (79%) followed by accidental fall (18%). Of all the trauma patients 110 (11%) were found to be under influence of alcohol. 77 patients (8%) on admission had poor GCS (0-3), while 766 (81%) on admission had good GCS (8 and above). 153 patients (16%) underwent neurosurgical intervention. Average length of hospital stay of most patients (545) was 4 to 7 days. Total mortality was 111 (12%). Mortality was high in patients with poor GCS on admission.Conclusions: The above study gives statistics regarding the epidemiology, morbidity and mortality of patients of traumatic head injuries in a tertiary care hospital which can be used for future references in designing management policies to prevent traumatic head injuries.