The incidence of neurosurgical disease in patients who are referred to a neurosurgical centre for CT scanning: should district general hospital scanners be more active?
This study assessed the incidence of neurosurgical intervention in those patients who were referred to a neurosurgical unit for a CT scan in whom the diagnosis was unclear. A prospective consecutive patient survey was performed over a 29 week period in a regional neurosurgical unit. One hundred patients were included. Twenty-eight patients required neurosurgical management, of whom, nine required surgery within 24 hours. Twenty-three patients required ventilation, of whom 14 did not have a neurosurgical condition. In this group of patients, the majority did not have a neurosurgical condition. Increasing the availability of scanning services in district hospitals may avoid the unnecessary transfer of potentially unstable patients.
Choi
D
D
Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow. dchoi@compuserve.com
Taylor
W A
WA
D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006408:Hematoma, Subdural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed