Craniocerebral trauma in pediatrics

Abstract

 Introduction: cranioencephalic trauma during infancy is a frequent cause of medical care at emergency care units in Brazil and around the world. Early recognition of cranioe­ncephalic trauma severity and its correct management greatly reduce morbidity and mor­tality. Objective: to present an up-dated review of the cranioencephalic trauma in pe­diatrics, discussing the management in up-dated conducts and its complications. To review the indications of the tomography and the conduct in relation to the most critical cases until the transfer to the intensive care unit. Data source: Medline database and “Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde”. Scientific articles and guidelines about cranioencephalic trauma publi­shed from 1991 to 2017 were selected and analyzed. Data synthesis: in the course of this article, we addressed the physiopathology of cranioencephalic injuries as well as its classification in mild, moderate and severe, focusing on the adequate management of the­se patients. Conclusions: the cranioencephalic trauma in pediatrics is in the most cases classified as light, but the critical cases still present high mortality with high probability of sequelae. The adequate treatment of the cranioencephalic trauma and its complications is indispensable in order to reduce morbidity and mortality.