Prospective study of surgery for traumatic brain injury in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Trauma causes, injury types and clinical presentation.

Abstract Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a public health problem in Ethiopia. We need more knowledge about the epidemiology and neurosurgical management of TBI patients to identify possible focus areas for quality improvement and preventive efforts. Methods This was a prospective cross-sectional study (2012-2016) at the four teaching hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. All surgically treated TBI patients were included, and details on clinical presentation, injury types and trauma causes were registered. Results We included 1087 patients (mean age 29 years; 8.7% females; 17.1% Conclusions The injury panorama, delayed admission and few operations for severe TBI are linked to a substantial patient selection both before and after hospital admission. Our results also suggest that there should be a geographical framework for tailored guidelines, preventive efforts and development of prehospital and hospital services.