Abstract
BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a major public health concern worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as Nepal, where road traffic accidents (RTAs) are the leading cause. Despite advances in medical care, TBI remains a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality. This study aims to analyze the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and outcomes of TBI cases in a tertiary care center in Nepal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at Neuro Cardio & Multispeciality Hospital, Nepal, reviewing 1067 TBI patients admitted between 1(st) August 2023 and 31(st) July 2024. Patients were evaluated for demographic details and injury severity based on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), radiological findings, hospital stay, and outcomes. Data were analyzed using SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA), with multinomial logistic regression performed to assess the relationship between GCS on admission, hospital length of stay (LOS), and clinical outcomes (measured by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS)). RESULTS: The majority of patients were male (73.9%) with RTAs accounting for 69.5% of TBIs and mild TBIs (GCS of 13-15) represented the majority (75.7%) of cases. Neurosurgical intervention was required in 18.1% of cases, with decompressive craniectomy being the most common procedure. The average ICU stay was eight days, and mortality was 7.2%. GCS on admission was a significant predictor of LOS and clinical outcomes (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of early intervention and standardized tools like GCS in predicting patient outcomes. Improved road safety measures and trauma care systems are essential for reducing the incidence and severity of TBIs in resource-limited settings.