Pattern of Head Injuries in Cases of Fatal Head Trauma admitted at Tertiary Care Centre in Eastern Nepal

Abstract

A head injury describes a vast array of injuries that occur to the scalp, skull and brain. Among all regional injuries, those of the head are the most common and important ones in forensic practice as head injuries are one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The present study aims to establish this fact by means of examining the pattern of head injuries which are an indirect indicator of severity of trauma. This hospital - based descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out in Nobel Medical College Teaching Hospital in 210 cases of head trauma Including patients with head injuries (scalp injury, skull fracture, intracranial hemorrhage and brain injury) while excluding dead on arrival cases. Road traffic accidents (RTA) account for more than half of all cases 51.9% compared to 26.7% cases fall from height, 10.5% assault and 11.0% due to other reasons. Males are more frequently affected across all types of incidences, 72.5% male, 27.5% female involved in RTA, 55.4% male and 44.6% female in fall from height and 63.6% male, 36.4% female in assault cases. 109 RTAs cases were the most common among young and middle-aged adults, 56 falls from height cases showed a bimodal distribution, mainly affecting children and elderly people while assault was most common in the economically active adult age group. Alcohol abuse cases (18 out of 210) were relatively low compared to some global trauma statistics. In this study most common cause of head injury was found to be RTA followed by fall from height where males were more prone to injuries. The study showed a statistically significant relationship between age group of victims and type of incidence. Thus preventive measures focusing on age group should be implemented for safety and security purpose.