@article{ref1,
title="An audit of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a busy developing-world trauma service exposes a significant deficit in resources available to manage severe TBI",
journal="South African medical journal SAMJ",
year="2017",
author="Jerome, Ellen and Laing, Grant L. and Bruce, John L. and Sartorius, Ben and Brysiewicz, Petra and Clarke, Damian L.",
volume="107",
number="7",
pages="621-625",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects large numbers of patients, both adults and children, and significant resources are needed to manage it. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To determine the burden of TBI and the adequacy of available resources to manage in the Pietermaritzburg Metropolitan Trauma Service (PMTS). <br><br>METHODS: All patients with a TBI were identified from the hybrid electronic medical registry at Grey's and Edendale hospitals in Pietermaritzburg (PMB), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Patients were classified according to severity of head injury and age. We defined mild TBI as Glasgow coma scale (GCS) 13 - 15, moderate as GCS 9 - 12, and severe as GCS ≤8, in accordance with international standards. We divided the cohort according to ages 0 - 5 years, 6 - 10 years, >10 - 17 years and adults (>17 years). <br><br>RESULTS: From January 2012 to December 2014, 3 301 patients were treated for TBI in PMB. The mean age was 27.4 (standard deviation 14.4) years. There were 2 632 males and 564 females. There were 2 540 mild, 326 moderate, and 329 severe TBI admissions during the period under review. A total of 139 (4.2%) patients died. A total of 242 (7.3%) patients were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), of whom 137 (57.0%) had a GCS of ≤9. Only 27.0% of patients with a GCS of ≤9 were admitted to the ICU. <br><br>CONCLUSION: There is a significant burden of TBI managed by the PMTS. Critical care resources available to manage patients with TBI are inadequate.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0038-2469",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}