Profile of Road Traffic Accidents–related Head Injuries in Alexandria During the Egyptian Revolution 2011

Abstract

Background: Although much is known about the epidemiology of head injuries, there is little information in the literature about head injuries in Egypt, in general, particularly in Alexandria. Background: The purpose of this study was to highlight the profile of road traffic accidents (RTAs)–related head injuries in Alexandria during the Egyptian revolution 2011. Patients and Methods: A prospective survey was conducted on 970 patients (756 males and 214 females, aged 6 mo to 80 y; mean=31.2) admitted to Alexandria Main University Hospital with head injuries after RTAs during the Egyptian revolution period between January 2011 and July 2011. Patients and Methods: Patient data collected included demographics, Glasgow coma score (GCS), radiologic findings, and Glasgow outcome score (GOS). Results: The majority of head injuries measured by GCS were mild (80%), followed by severe (14%) and moderate (6%) injuries with mean age of patients being 30.58, 37.14, and 25.51 years, respectively. Conservative management was applied in 94.7%, 72.9%, and 81.2% of cases with mild, moderate, and severe head injury, respectively, compared with surgical management in 5.3%, 27.1%, and 18.8% of corresponding cases, respectively. The study’s overall clinical outcomes measured by GOS were full recovery in 715 (85%) patients and death in 78 (9.3%) cases. Full recovery was achieved in 76.3% of cases admitted to the ward compared with 34.6% in cases admitted to the ICU. Conclusions: The increased number of patients with RTA-related head injuries who were discharged from the Alexandria Main University Hospital despite medical advice, because of deficient health care resources during the Egyptian revolution 2011, necessitates the foundation of a specialized neurotrauma intensive care unit and the establishment of an efficient patients’ referral system between the governmental and private hospitals in Alexandria for better health care services, particularly for patients with moderate and severe head injuries.