Comparative Analysis of Traumatic Brain Injury Severity in Motorcycle and Car Accident Victims Treated at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the common causes of long-term disabilities, with about 10 million deaths annually.

Objectives: Our aim is to compare the severity and outcomes of TBI between motorcycle and car accident victims.

Materials and methods: A prospective cohort study focusing on TBI patients. Data were collected from patients on admission at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). Road traffic accident patients attending KBTH were recruited consecutively. Data collected included demographics, injury severity score (ISS), Glasgow coma scale (GCS), Marshall's computed tomography (CT) grading, and Glasgow outcome scale-extended. We employed descriptive summaries for all variables. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used in comparing severity.

Results: A total of 164 individuals were enrolled, with males comprising (73.8%) and a study average age of 33.2 years. Accidents involved cars and motorcycles almost equally. The GCS revealed 43.9% of injuries to be mild, and ISS indicated severe injuries in 49.4% of cases. CT showed grade 2 injuries per Marshall's classification and no significant differences in injury patterns. Nonsurgical treatment predominated, and a higher proportion of motorcycle cases required surgery. There were no significant differences in mortality or disability. The average hospital stay was 11.26 days, with 57.9% of deaths occurring within 72 h. Car accident survivors and pedestrians experienced longer days to mortality.

Conclusion: Across groups, the severity of TBIs showed a substantial proportion of participants with severe injuries, although no significant differences were observed between groups. The findings highlight the need for preventive measures and trauma care strategies to mitigate the impact of TBIs, particularly among high-risk demographics and road user categories.