Non-missile Penetrating Head Trauma,Cases Registry in Sohag University Hospital (trauma)

A retrospective study was done in Neurosurgery trauma unit, Sohag University. Eighteen patients reported with different mechanisms of trauma. All patients clinically tested involving neurological evaluation. Computed tomography brain was done for them at the time of admission. Cautious removal of the penetrating object with local debridement of surrounding tissues including skin, skull, dura and brain tissue and watertight closure of the dura should be done. Patients transferred to the Intensive care unit (ICU) for 48 - 72 hours.

Traumatic intracranial penetration of foreign non-missile object rarely occurs. Early mortality may be caused by hemorrhages, major vascular injury or contusions; while epileptic seizures and infections are among the possible complications in later stages. Complete excision of the foreign object should be done for all patients and any dural and/or vascular injuries should be repaired during surgical treatment. Neurological level, hemodynamic and respiratory status at hospital admission, type of penetrating the object, pupil size, and reactivity, as the CT findings, all these factors will affect the prognosis so they should be evaluated carefully before the decision of the line of management. Intracranial infection, CSF leak and recurrent attacks of convulsions are the most common complications. Our goal in this study to report cases with non-missile penetrating head injuries and evaluate the possible predictive factors in a series of 18 patients sustaining penetrating head injuries, admitted to our hospital over a period of 2 years, to be used as a guide for the surgical management.

Inclusion Criteria: Any patient with penetrating head trauma Exclusion Criteria: missile penetrating head injuries