Head injuries at a provincial general hospital in Kenya

In this descriptive study, three hundred and sixty one patients with head injuries were studied over an eighteen month period. The age distribution showed two peaks at 0-5 years and 25-35 years. The commonest cause of head injuries was road traffic accidents (40.3 %) followed by assault causing trauma to the head (30.5%). The overall mortality rate for patients with head injuries was 30.8% with an age distribution peak at 25-35 years. Associated injuries were found in 165 (45.7%) patients. Complications due to head injuries occurred in 43 (16.5%) patients.