The usefulness of control brain tomography taken in patients with blunt head trauma in the emergency department

In the presence of an intracranial pathology of the first computerized head tomography (CHT) scan taken due to blunt head trauma, the control CHT is used as a standard procedure to evaluate the progression of the possible bleeding and the necessity of intervention. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the necessity of intervention in patients with CHT with neurological regression with patients with minor blunt head trauma who underwent routine control despite the clinical status being stable. In addition, it is to determine which clinical symptom and the necessity of intervention in the detection of CHT. We retrospectively reviewed the results of the patients with blunt head trauma and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13-15 who came to the Emergency Department of the Akdeniz University Hospital for 2 years. Clinical characteristics of patients were compared with neurological deterioration or routinely taken control CHT results. Control CHT results were analyzed for radiological worsening and interference need. It was determined that 666 of 3578 patients who had a CHT due to head trauma had a control BBT, 459 of these patients had a GCS score of 13-15, and the data of 441 patients were analyzed. The reason for the neurological deterioration was found to be the control CHT in 73 patients and routinely in 368 patients. The rates of medical or surgical intervention were 26% (19 patients) with neurological intervention and 0.8% (3 patients) with routine exposure (p <0.001). The use of anticoagulant or antithrombotic medication, fracture in the median meningeal artery junction, GCS score reduction, increased headache, recurrent vomiting, neurological deficit and changes in the control CHT were statistically significant in terms of interventional necessity. If patients with minor head trauma do not have neurological intervention or if the clinical condition improves, it is unnecessary to withdraw the control BBT. Routine control without neurological intervention, the increased risk of radiation and financial burden arises from the removal of the CHT. Key Words: Minor head trauma, Control CHT, Glaskow Coma Scale, Middle meningeal artery fracture