Feroza Perveen, Emaduddin Siddiqui and Shahan Waheed
The Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Neurol Neurophysiol
Introduction: Trauma is considered, one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in children. In the traumatic brain injury,
hypertonic saline (HTS) has the significant role. We have been using 3% HTS in the emergency department (ED) for pediatric
patients who present with the severe traumatic head injury. There is no data regarding whether resuscitation with the HTS has any
association on to the length of stay (LOS) and Glasgow coma scale (GCS).
Objective: The study aims to investigate the association of the Glasgow Coma Scale and the Length of stay in pediatric patients who
presented with severe traumatic head injury and resuscitated with 3% HTS in the ED.
Methodology: Cross-sectional Study, conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, a level 1 trauma center from 2008 to 2013. Data
was collected using convenient sampling technique. The sample size of the study was calculated by using prevalence of traumatic
brain injury for children age 2-16 years from the prior study (PakNEDs, AKU data) i.e.12%. With a 95% level of confidence.
Result: Based on the pilot, Out of 199 we had used 3% HTS in 80 (40.2%) patients. 60 (74 %) were male, average LOS of this group
was found to be 5.6 Hours in ED with initial GCS 2-15, (average 10.83) & Average LOS at the time of discharge from ED/ inpatients
wards were 4.46 days with GCS 14.
Conclusion: Based on the retrospective analysis, if these results would be confirmed in a prospective, randomized case-control
study, The 3% HTS may become the agent of choice for the management of the severe blunt traumatic head injury. This will help in
disseminating the findings in the health care centers across Pakistan in the emergency management of the pediatric traumatic brain
injuries.
E-mail: feroza.parveen@yahoo.com
