MANAGEMENT OF MINOR HEAD-INJURY - THE VALUE OF EARLY COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY AND SERUM-PROTEIN S-100 MEASUREMENTS

Computed tomography (CT) scan was performed within 6 h in 91 patients with minor head injury (MHI). Eight patients (9%) demonstrated intracr anial lesions on CT scan (6 brain contusions, 1 brain edema and 1 extr adural hematoma), No patient required craniotomy, In patients with nor mal CT scan, no complications to the head injury were observed, Patien ts with intracranial lesions were hospitalized significantly longer (m ean 9.4 days) than patients without (mean 1.6 days), In a subgroup of 50 patients with normal CT scan, serum S-100 protein was measured on a dmission, Elevated S-100 levels were seen in 10 of 50 patients (0.5-2. 4 mu g/L, mean 1.1), These patients were hospitalized significantly lo nger (mean 3.4 days) compared to patients with normal CT scan and norm al S-100 levels (mean 1.1 days), MHI patients with GCS 14-15 without n eurological deficits can safely be discharged when CT scan is normal, Serum protein S-100 measurements appear to provide information about d iffuse brain injury after MHI. (C) Pearson Professional Ltd 1997