The Direct Cost of Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury in a Sub-Saharan African Country (Benin).

OBJECTIVES: This is the first socioeconomic study on traumatic brain injury (TBI) undertaken to determine the sociodemographic factors implicated in the occurrence of TBI and to assess the value of the direct cost of the management of TBI at the initial phase in the Hubert Koutoukou Maga National Teaching Hospital of Cotonou. METHODS: This was a prospective study with descriptive and analytic aim that took place from January 1 to July 31, 2014. An individual approach of each patient's expenditure was undertaken via the use of a questionnaire on which all expenses were identified systematically. The dependent variable was the global direct cost of care. The independent variables were the type of accident, severity of the TBI, the structures of care, the stay in the resuscitation unit, the duration of hospitalization. RESULTS: There were 297 patients with TBI: 258 men (86.9%) and 39 women (13.1%), with a sex ratio of 6.61. The average age of patients was 34.3 ± 12.39 years. The average direct cost of care for TBI was €285.67 ± 310.15. The average cost for severe TBI was €522.08 ± 439.91 versus €188.19 ± 164.83 for mild TBI (odds ratio 5.52; standard deviation: 0.0527-0.6222). The average cost was increased significantly more when the patients went through a peripheral hospital (odds ratio 3.65; standard deviation: 1.819-7.3245). CONCLUSIONS: The organization of Benin's health system did not allow for the optimum management of TBI. It seems imperative to develop an insurance system that will allow a proper and effective support for victims of traffic accidents.

The exploratory burr hole: indication and results at one departmental hospital of benin.

Objective. The aim of this study was to describe the indications and results of exploratory burr hole performed at the Departmental Teaching Hospital of Borgou (Benin). Methods. It was a retrospective study performed from January 2008 to February 2011. It concerned patients with a closed traumatic brain injury (TBI) in which an exploratory burr hole was performed. The selection criteria were unilateral mydriasis associated with neurological deficits on the opposite side or the occurrence of a decreased consciousness associated with the appearance of a motor deficit after a lucid interval. Results. Amongst the 74 patients operated, 23 (31%) underwent an exploratory burr hole for which the average age was 24.8 ± 17.3 years. Sex ratio male/female was 3.6. TBI was due to road traffic accident (56.5%), a fall (26.1%), and an assault (17.4%). It was severe (47.8%), moderate (39.1%), and mild (13.1%). Mydriasis was observed in 69.6% of cases as well as neurological deficit in all patients. A lesion was observed in 15 (65.2%) cases. Conclusion. The exploratory burr hole seemed as an old practice, still no longer performed in full practice in Benin, and is a diagnosis and therapeutic approach. Better technical conditions would allow more relevant therapeutic options.

Surgical management of head trauma: problems, results, and perspectives at the departmental teaching hospital of Borgou, Benin.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to report our neurosurgical experience with traumatic brain injury (TBI) at a departmental teaching hospital in Benin. METHODS: This was a descriptive study performed from January 2008 to June 2010. It concerned patients who received surgical treatment after a brain trauma. Conditions for surgical care were based on imaging data or exclusively on clinical symptoms (disorders of consciousness associated with focal signs). RESULTS: Sixty-two patients underwent surgical management during the study period. They accounted for 5% of the TBI cases hospitalized. There were 56 (90.3%) men and 6 (9.7%) women. The average age of patients was 26.38 ± 14.76 years. The main cause of injury was road traffic accident (80.6%). The mean time of admission to the surgical room was 27.59 ± 20.71 hours. The indication for surgery was based on clinical data in 17 (27.4%) patients, clinical and x-ray data in 27 (43.6%) patients, and computed tomography scan data in 18 (29%) patients. A burr-hole exploration was performed in 17 (27.4%) patients. Repair of depressive fracture or cerebral wound and evacuation of hematoma were mainly performed (75.8%). Complete recovery was observed in 34 (54.9%) patients. Sequels were observed in 10 (16.1%) patients. The postoperative mortality was 29% (n = 18). This mortality was 76.5% among 17 patients for whom burr-hole exploration was performed (P = 0.00000). CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of TBI is a common activity in our practice, despite the difficulties. Good imaging and enhanced prevention could improve care and reduce TBI severity.