A Clinical Analysis of Surgically Treated Head-Injured Military Personnel.

Joo, Sung Tag; Yoon, Su Han; Kang, Won Bong; Moon, Jae Gon; Shin, Hyung Sik; Kim, Ha Young

Original Article

Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society 1992;21(7): 767-776.

Sung Tag Joo, Su Han Yoon, Won Bong Kang, Jae Gon Moon, Hyung Sik Shin, Ha Young Kim

Department of Neurosurgery, Capital Armed Forces General Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

ABSTRACT

The 302 patients with head-injured military personnel who had admitted to the Department of neurosurgery, Capital Armed Forces General Hospital were clinicostatistically analysed and discussed with the review of the literatures. The results were as follows: The most common cause of head injury was traffic accident(38.4% of the total cases) and the next were, in order of incidence, simple fall(9.5%), exercise(3.9%), assault(13.5%) and gun shot wound or explosive injury(7.2%). 2) Skull fracture was identified in 214 cases;98 cases of linear, 87 cases of depressed, 4 cases of basal, 2 cases mixed skull fracture. 3) The 85.7% of epidural hematomas were associated with skull fracture and the most common site of hematoma was frontal area. 4) Of all cases of subdural hematoma, acute type was prevalent(67.9%) and its main involved wite was frontotemporoparietal areas. 5) The associated injuries were found in 35.7% of patients. 6) The minor head injury of which GCS is from 13 to 15 was 148 cases, the moderate head injury of which GCS is fromn 9 to 12 was 49 cases, the severe head injury of which GCS is form 3 to 8 was 105 cases. 7) Of 105 cases of severe head injured patients the mortality was 61.9% and good recovery was 7.6%. But outcome was different according not only to GCS but also the type of lesion. 8) The operative morality was 24.1% and the good recovery was achieved 55.2% of patients. The remaining 8.9% resulted in disabled or vegetative state. 9) In the accidents of gun shot wound or explosive injury, operation mortality rate was 31.8%, but 8 cases(36.3%) were seen good recovery.

Key Words: Head trauma; Glasgow coma scale; Military personnel