Criteria for neurosurgical treatment of children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury in a Brazilian level 1 trauma center.

Objective: Considering Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores and brain CT scans in a group of children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI), the scope of this study was to identify the criteria established for the indication of emergency neurosurgical treatment in a level 1 trauma center.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with consecutive review of medical records of children and adolescents < 17 years with TBI who were hospitalized and underwent neurosurgical treatment between January 2016 and December 2023. Two groups were formed for analysis: patients with GCS scores ≤ 8 versus patients with GCS scores > 8. Based on the GCS score and brain CT scan of each patient, the authors investigated the criteria established for the surgical indications in this group.

Results: In the period considered for the study, 376 children and adolescents with TBI were hospitalized and 31% required neurosurgical treatment. The median age was 5 years (interquartile range 1-11 years) and there was a predominance of males (68%). Home accidents predominated in 77% of children < 5 years of age, whereas road accidents predominated among those older than 5 (47%). Diffuse brain lesions on CT scans predominated in patients with GCS scores ≤ 8 when compared to the group with GCS scores > 8 (89% vs 19%; p < 0.0001). Regarding neurosurgical access, decompressive craniectomies (70%) and invasive intracranial pressure monitoring (44%) prevailed among patients with GCS scores ≤ 8, whereas craniotomies for drainage of intracranial hematomas (70%) and surgical correction of depressed skull fracture (21%) prevailed among those with GCS scores > 8.

Conclusions: Based on the GCS scores and CT scans, the authors were able to define the criteria used for neurosurgical indications in a Brazilian level 1 trauma center. They found a high prevalence of decompressive craniectomy in patients with severe TBI in their department due to the irregular supply of disposable catheters necessary for intracranial pressure monitoring.