Prophylactic phenytoin in severe head injuries.
We are reporting a retrospective study of 62 patients whose head injury was sufficiently severe to cause a high probability of posttraumatic epilepsy. Of 50 patients treated with phenytoin, 10% developed epilepsy of late onset. Twelve patients not treated with phenytoin but who had head injuries of equal magnitude had a 50% incidence of epilepsy. These data from a highly selected group of patients with severe head injuries confirm the bias that treatment with phenytoin decreases the incidence of posttraumatic epilepsy.
D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications*; D004834:Epilepsy, Post-Traumatic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000150:complications
D010672:Phenytoin