ISSN:
0942-0940
Keywords:
Severe head injury
;
GCS 3
;
prognosis
;
change of survival
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary The authors analysed a series of 111 adult patients admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Łódź directly after trauma with initial GCS of 3 points. 74% of them had intracranial haematoma, mainly subdural, and were treated surgically within the first 3 hours after trauma. 8 patients had no abnormalities on CT scans. 99 (89%) patients died 2 to 30 days after injury, 8 (7%) survived in a vegetative state, and only in 4 (4%) was a satisfactory result noted, but 2 of them had a stable neurological deficit. 3 of these 4 patients had epidural haematomas and 1 had not abnormalities on repeated CT examinations. We conclude, that among patients with GCS of 3 on admission, only those without major CT abnormalities or with epidural haematoma have a chance of survival. Cases with cerebral leasions on the initial CT examination have an invariably bad prognosis. They could be taken into account as a potential organ donor from the very moment of admission, but only after cerebral circulatory arrest occured and brain death has been proved according to internationally accepted standarts.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01404948
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