Head Injury in Traffic Accidents

A retrospective study of 81 head injured patients consecutively admitted during a three year period to the Division of Neurological Surgery of our hospital is reported. The overall male-to-female ratio was 2.8 to 1. The rate of alcohol intoxication was 26%, almost all were males. In evaluating patients with a Trauma Score (TS)<10 the mortality was 40%. Considering the Injury Severity Score (ISS), the mortality among patients with scores ≥ 20 was 41%. The Rensohoff-Fleisher coma scale was used to grade the level of consciousness on admission from I to VI. Patients with major (MJ) head injury (coma scale IV-VI) had a 30% mortality. Patients with minor (MN) head injury (coma scale I-III) had a mortality of 7%. In all coma scale graded patients the group of patients with intracranial hemorrhage (with and without midline shift) had a higher mortality rate (20%) than those with edema alone (13%).