Depressed skull fracture; Interrelationship between CT evaluation of and its clinical findings

ABSTRACT

The purpose of study was to interrelate CT findings of depressed skull fracture with clinical findings. This was exploratory study. The study was conducted at Mayo Hospital Lahore and Lahore General Hospital. From March 9,2004 to October 2004. Fifty patients irrespective of their age and sex were included. Only the newly admitted patients in the above mentioned hospitals were included in the study. Previously diagnosed depressed skull fracture or the patients having associated facial abdominal and thoracic injuries were excluded. Patients having depressed skull fracture were clinically evaluated and thereafter subjected to 4[th] generation spiral CT scan at the radiology department of the above mentioned hospitals. Both bone and brain window were taken for various intracranial structures. Analysis of the data for association between the variables of clinical and CT findings revealed that patients with conscious level, with DSF and having mild head injury were less associated with scalp injury [p=0.1156] which is statistically insignificant. DSF with moderate and severe head injury had more probability of scalp injuries. Scalp laceration seen with DSF had association with scalp injury [p<0.001]. It is a key for clinician and neurosurgeon to use GCS score in congestion with the CT findings for early management of DSF