This study was aimed at providing epidemiological descriptions of head injuries according to the site and type of injury.
The analysis included 105,867 patients with head injuries and an abbreviated injury scale (AIS) severity score of ≥2 who were registered in the Japan Trauma Data Bank between 2004 and 2019. The injuries were categorized by site and type using AIS codes, and the frequency of injury, patient age distribution, injury outcome, percentage of in-hospital deaths, and concurrent injuries were determined.
By site, cerebral hemorrhage accounted for 90% of head injuries, and by type, subarachnoid hemorrhage accounted for 50%. Young patients comprised a relatively large proportion of patients with axonal injuries and epidural hematomas. Older patients accounted for a relatively large proportion of patients with subdural, intracerebral, and subarachnoid hematomas. Falls were the most common cause of injury. Patients with brainstem and brain swelling injuries had the highest in-hospital fatality rates. Concurrent injuries to the chest and upper limbs were common among those with head injuries.
The distributions of patient age, injury severity and mechanisms, and concurrent injuries differed depending on the site and type of head injury.
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