Basilar skull fracture: outcome of acute care without antibiotic prophylaxis in a Nigerian neurosurgical unit.
OBJECTIVE
A prospective observational study of the in-hospital outcome of the management of BSF without antibiotic prophylaxis in a Nigerian neurosurgical unit.


METHODS
All cases of HI with clinical diagnosis of BSF over an 8-month period were reviewed. Their demographic, clinical, and in-hospital outcome parameters were analysed. We also compared some clinical and outcome characteristics between this study group and a contemporary cohort of patients in our unit with Head Injury but without CSF leak


RESULTS
There were 47 cases. The CSF leak was from the nostrils in 18 (38.3%), the ears in 16 (34.04%), and both ears and nostrils in 12 (25.53%). The cause of injury was road accidents in 91%, and the severity of the Head Injury was mild, moderate and severe respectively in 42.55, 25.53 and 31.91%. Meningitis occurred in 2 patients (4.25%); in-hospital outcome was good in 68.1% and poor in 31.9% and this was significantly (p < 0.05) affected primarily by the severity of the brain injuries. These in-hospital outcome rates and their determinants were similar to those in our unit's contemporary cohort of Head Injury without BSF.


CONCLUSIONS
Management of traumatic BSF without antibiotic prophylaxis in a developing country setting has not been accompanied with an increased rate of unfavourable outcome.
University of Ibadan, College of Medicine Department of Surgery, Ibadan, Nigeria. femdoy@yahoo.com
Amos Olufemi
AO
Adeleye
Oladapo
O
Olayemı
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002558:Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008581:Meningitis / Q000401:mortality*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020205:Skull Fracture, Basilar / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents