BLUNT HEAD TRAUMA - COMPARISON OF VARIOUS WEAPONS WITH INTRACRANIAL INJURY AND NEUROLOGIC OUTCOME

The weapons used in blunt head trauma cases were identified to determi ne if a particular weapon was associated with a specific type of intra cranial injury or a poorer neurologic outcome. A consecutive sample of 178 patients was examined. Forty-seven percent of patients beaten wit h baseball bats and 63% of patients beaten with fists had positive com puted tomographic (CT) findings. Twenty five percent of patients beate n with bats and 48% of those beaten with fists had poor neurologic out comes (p < 0.056). Of those with positive CT findings, 30% of patients beaten with bats and 59% of patients beaten with fists had a poor out come (p = 0.511). No weapon was associated with a particular intracran ial injury. Of assault victims who survive an attack and require admis sion to the hospital, those beaten with bats are less likely to have s ignificant neurologic dysfunction upon hospital discharge than those b eaten with fists.