Pediatric craniocerebral gunshot injuries: A National Trauma Database study

CONCLUSION This study uses the National Trauma Data Bank to quantify the prevalence of pediatric intracranial gunshot wounds, with the goal to determine risk factors for prognosis in this patient population. Significant effects on mortality for invasive interventions including intracranial pressure monitoring and craniotomy for all patients suggest low threshold for use of these procedures if there is any clinical concern. The presence of a 79% mortality rate in patients with GCS score of 3 on presentation suggests that as long as there is not a declared neurologic death, intracranial pressure monitoring and treatment measures including craniotomy should be considered by the consulting clinician. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic and epidemiological, level III.
Source: The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: INDEPENDENT SUBMISSIONS Source Type: research