Bedside Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Skull Fractures in Pediatric Head Trauma Patients Admitted to Emergency Department

Year 2019, , 233 - 238, 31.12.2019

Emre Gökçen , Atakan Savrun

https://doi.org/10.19127/mbsjohs.647426

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Objective:
Among children with minor head trauma, the incidence of skull fractures is
increased especially in those under one year of age. Several studies
investigated the association between skull fracture and traumatic brain injury.
In the present study, we aimed to test the potential of ultrasonography in
detecting linear skull fracture in pediatric patients with minor head trauma.

Methods:
Patients under the age of 18
years with minor head trauma who presented to the emergency units of Bozok
University Faculty of Medicine or Ordu University Training and Research
Hospital between March 1, 2019 and November 1, 2019 and were planned to undergo
head CT by their responsible physicians were included in the present study. The
exclusion criteria were a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score <14, traumatic open
skull deformity, depressed skull fracture, penetrating head trauma, and
hemodynamic instability.

Results:
A total of 62 patients (%64,5
males) with a mean age of 7.29 years were included. The sensitivity and
specificity of ultrasound in detection of fractures were %84.6 (% 95 CI: 65.13-
95.6) and % 94.4 (% 95 CI: 81.3-99.3), respectively.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, we suggest
that the use of ultrasound before CT examination in patients with minor head
trauma may be a helpful means to detect cranial fractures.

Keywords

Ultrasonographic, Pediatric Head Trauma Patients, Emergency Department

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