engleski

Traumatic brain injury in a Croatian war community

Our study presents results of neurologic and neuropsychological recovery assessed 6-7 years after craniocerebral injury. A group of patients injury in the period from July 1991 to December 1992 during the war in Croatia, in the region of Osijek-Baranja County has been systematically followed up, with a control neurologic and neuropsychological examination in the year 1998. Our study presents 50 per 81 patients, 1 woman and 49 men (the men age was 29, 8 years). Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) value at the moment of the first hospitalization was 9, the Abbreviated Injury Score for craniocerebral injury was 3, 7. We have additionally analyzed and described state of consciousness upon the arrival to hospital. After admission all the patients had CT brain examination besides a careful general and neurologic examination and continuously followed up after primary neurosurgical treatment, repeated during the hospitalization and at care rehabilitation, and continued after the acute treatment. As a result of the injuries, the following neurologic syndromes were found: hemiplegia in 13, hemiparesis in 16, triplegia in 1 patient, and in 20 no neurologic deficits werw found. after the rehabilitation treatment, clinical neurologic evaluation made in this group showed the following neurologic deficits: hemiplegia 1, hemiparesis 13, triparesis 1, monoparesis 2, and 33 patients had no neurologic deficit. Results of neuropsychological evaluation pointed out of a sign of the posttraumatic encephalopathy syndrome in 19 patients, impairment of adaptive behaviour 7, minor cognitive impairments 4, decreases intellectual and memory functions 12, and 8 without any psychological deficit. In order that the patients recover optimally, it is necessary that the physicians work as an interdisciplinary team. We believe that such good results described after craniocerebral injuries could be assigned to the relatively young age of the injured, early diagnostic and neurosurgical treatment, and early systematic and continuous neurologic and psychosocial rehabilitation.

brain injury; Croatian war; recovery

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