title: Neonatal head injury unrelated to birth trauma in South-East Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neonatal head trauma resulting from causes other than birth trauma has rarely been the focus of many a research theme in the literature.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To highlight the occurrence of non-birth trauma related neonatal head injury, and evaluate the causes and outcome of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 3 year retrospective review of neonatal patients with head injury from two tertiary hospitals in South-East Nigeria between July 2009 and June 2012 (n-37). Data was collected from patients' birth and medical records. Data was analyzed using the SPSS version 15.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the one hundred and seventy-six cases (11.78)% pediatric head injury cases seen, thirty seven (2.48)% occurred in neonatal patients. The most common cause of head injury was fall 22 cases [59.5%]. Children of mothers with low educational qualification were more likely to sustain falls 22 cases (59.5%). Road traffic accident (n = 15) was associated with more severe injuries and poorer outcome. Operative treatment was associated with increased mortality (two of three cases). The mortality rate in our series is 8.10%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduction of neonatal head trauma could be achieved through improved maternal education.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. kechyenny@yahoo.com
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Uche
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Emejulu
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Ekenze
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okorie
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Uche
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009549:Nigeria; D012189:Retrospective Studies