Abstract

TYPES OF HEAD INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH MOTOR CYCLE ACCIDENTS IN PORT HARCOURT

Ajie P. C., *Victor P. D., Gbaranor K. B., Okpara P. E. and Godam E. T.

Abstract

A retrospective study that involved 716 types of head injury associated with motorcycle accidents of patients who present to Accident and Emergency Department of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers state between January 2001-December 2005. The common type of head injuries associated with motorcycle accidents are scalp lacerations 36.6% (males 26.8% and female 9.8%), skull fractures 32.4% (males 20.7% and female 10.7%) and intracranial haemorrhages 21.1% (males 13.6% and females 7.5%) during the period under review. The most common head injuries from motorcycle accidents are scalp lacerations, skull fractures, cerebral injuries and intracranial haemorrhages. Head injury death from motor cycle accidents claims lives more than three thousand people every year worldwide.

Keywords: haemorrhages, skull fractures, cerebral injuries.