Pediatric traumatic brain injury in Zimbabwe: A prospective cohort study

Background. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) imposes an enormous burden on health systems and it is the most frequent cause of hospitalization in children. This study aimed at describing the causes, presentation, management, and outcome of children with TBI admitted at a tertiary referral hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe. Methods. This prospective cohort study was conducted with a convenience sample of children aged ≤ 12 years and admitted with TBI at the study site from June 2018 to May 2019. The children were followed from their admission to one-month post-discharge. Sociodemographic, clinical, and neuroimaging data were collected. The median length of stay was calculated and the Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and Kruskal Wallis tests were used. Results. 84 children with TBI were recruited. Most were males (66.7%) and (56.0%) had sustained TBI following a motor vehicle accident. An initial period of loss of consciousness that lasted a median of 6.5 (IQR = 4.8) hours was noted in 60.7% of patients. The most common symptom at presentation was headache (61.9%), and mild TBI was the most common type of TBI. Skeletal injuries were the most encountered associated injuries (13.1%) and the majority of patients were managed non-operatively – 79 (94.0%). Most patients (56.0%) experienced upper good recovery at one-month follow-up. Conclusions. Motor vehicle accidents are the main cause of pediatric TBI in Zimbabwe. Most patients do not require surgical treatment and have a good recovery.