Profile of patients with cranioencephalic trauma attended in an emergency department in the northern region of Portugal

• Autor(a) principal: Raposo, Sílvia
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Magalhães, Carlos
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.48492/servir0206.31335
• topic: lesões encefálicas traumáticas; serviço hospitalar de emergência; enfermeiros; prevenção; brain injuries, traumatic; emergency service, hospital; nurses; prevention; lesiones traumáticas del encéfalo; servicio de urgencia en hospital; enfermeros; prevención

Introduction: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs as a result of direct or indirect mechanical force applied to the head. It is considered one of the major public health problems worldwide, being among the most frequent types of traumas seen in emergency services. Objective/s: The main objective of this study is to characterize the profile of patients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) admitted to the Emergency Department of a Local Health Unit in the northern region of Portugal. Methods: Study with a quantitative, observational, and descriptive approach, regarding a sample of 153 victims of TBI admitted to the Emergency Department of a Local Health Unit, between April 5 and July 5, 2022. Results: The results show a sample predominantly male (56.9%), with an average age of 63.5 years mainly in the age group of 85 years or older (29.4%) The predominant risk factor was age ≥ 65 years, and the main etiology was falls from standing height (56.3%), with a predominance of mild TBI (98.6%). Symptomatology was mainly related to loss of consciousness (22.3%). Brain Computed Tomography was the most requested diagnostic test (84.9%), and the main associated injuries were skin and scalp lesions (42.5%). The incidence rate of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) during the observed period was 1.68%. Conclusion: The identified profile suggests the importance of adopting preventive measures for the main causes of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). It also highlights the role of nurses in providing complex and specialized care to prevent complications.