Pediatric Brain Trauma Clinicoradiological Features and Prognostic Factors: A Prospective Study

Background: Traumatic injuries are the leading cause of death and a major cause of disability among children. About 70%–80% of the accidental deaths in pediatric age group result directly from central nervous system lesions. Objective: To identify the clinical and radiological features of pediatric brain trauma and their association with prognosis, To evaluate the effectiveness of various diagnostic and treatment modalities in the management of pediatric brain trauma and to identify prognostic factors that may predict the outcome of pediatric brain trauma. Materials and methods The purpose of our study was to study all the patients of ≤18 years of age with head injury admitted in Department of Neurosurgery , J.A. Group of Hospitals and G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, MP, between April 2023 and June 2024. We analyzed various factors including type of injury, mode of injury, admission Glasgow coma score, and mortality rate. Results: The study population consisted of 35 injured children. Mean age was 8.3 ± 5.6 years (range 5 months to 18 years). Forty percent of patients were within 1–5-year age group. Fall from height was the most common mode of injury, accounting for 51.4% of the cases. The percentage of patients with mild, moderate, and severe head injury were 38%, 15%, and 47%, respectively, in the head injury group. Mortality 18%. Operative intervention was done in 56% of patients. Predictors of mortality included severe head injury, hospital stay <7 days, pneumothorax, the presence of hypotension, and deranged coagulation parameters. Conclusion: Head injury is much more common than spinal injury in pediatric patients and fall from height being the most common mode of injury. Severe head injury, hospital stay <7 days, pneumothorax, presence of hypotension, and deranged coagulation parameters are predictors of poor outcome.