MODERATE HEAD-INJURIES IN CHILDREN AS COMPARED TO OTHER AGE-GROUPS, INCLUDING THE CASES WHO HAD TALKED AND DETERIORATED

Patients defined as having a moderate head injury on the basis of Glas gow Coma Scale scores within the ranges of 9 to 13 after acute nonsurg ical procedures were selected. Almost 1600 cases were hospitalized in the Neurosurgery Department. The cases were admitted through the Emerg ency Unit of Gaz University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey during the period between 1979 and 1992. The group studied consisted of 231 selec ted patients assessed separately in paediatric, adult and elderly age groups. Possible risk factors such as: GCS score, anisocoria, unilater al or bilateral fixed pupils, impaired oculocephalic reflexes, presenc e of multiple systemic injuries, aetiology of head trauma, presence of linear or depressed skull fractures, space occupying mass on CT or op eration was also assessed. Subarachnoid haemorrhage turned out to be t he only independent significant risk factor in predicting mortality. T he data about the patients who have ''talked and deteriorated'' were a lso reported so as to assisst physicians charged with the care of trau ma victims.