Pediatric traumatic brain injury and ocular injury.

PURPOSE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of pediatric disability and mortality. Together with sight-threatening ocular injuries, TBIs may lead to devastating consequences in developing children and complicate rehabilitation. We sought to investigate this relationship in pediatric patients admitted with major trauma.

METHODS

The records of pediatric patients admitted with ocular injury and concomitant TBI were reviewed retrospectively using the National Trauma Data Bank (2008-2014).

RESULTS

Of 58,765 pediatric patients admitted for trauma and also had ocular injuries, 32,173 were diagnosed with TBI. Mean patient age was 12.3 ± 7 years. Most were male (69.8%) and White (61.2%). The most frequent injuries were contusion of the eye/adnexa (39.1%) and orbital fractures (35.8%). The youngest age groups had greatest odds of falls in home locations, whereas older groups were more likely to suffer motor vehicle trauma as occupants (MVTO), struck by or against (SBA) injuries, and firearms injuries in street locations (P < 0.001). Blacks and Hispanics were most likely to suffer assault (P < 0.001) and Whites, unintentional (P < 0.001) and self-inflicted (P < 0.012) injury. Blacks were at a higher risk of firearms injury, Whites of MVTO, and Hispanics of motor vehicles as pedestrians (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

TBI frequently is experienced by trauma patients with concomitant ocular injury and should be considered in children admitted with major trauma. Resultant demographic patterns may help identify patients that have a higher risk of TBI leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment.