IMPACT OF POST OPERATIVE CT ON THE DECISION OF A NEUROSURGEON IN CASE OF TRAUMATIC HEAD INJURY

ABSTRACT
Background: Importance of post-operative serial CT scans in trauma patients is not properly studied in our setup.
Objective to do this study is to note post-operative changes in serial CT scans in trauma patients and to determine how
this effect neurosurgeons decision in terms of management.
Methods: In this study 212 patients of head trauma were followed. These patients were operated in Neurosurgery ward
and were referred for their post-operative CT scans. Post-operative CT scans were studied to determine recurrence of
the lesion, expansion of the lesion or development of any new lesion.
Results: Out of 212 patients the post-operative repeat CT scan showed significant changes in the form of expansion or
recurrence of old lesion or development of the new lesion in 39 (18.3%) of patients .In them 22 (56.4%) cases required
re intervention. In our study 137 (64.6% ) patients were classified as having favorable outcome at discharge while
75(35.3%) cases were in the unfavorable group. Overall mortality was 26 (12.3%) cases of which 12(47.1%) cases were
reported to have changes in post-operative CT scan and 6(23%) of them underwent a repeat surgical manipulation.
Conclusion: Post-operative CT scans in patients of traumatic intracranial lesion is an important monitoring tool. Changes
in Neurosurgeon leading diagnosis and management after CT were common.