Caregiver reported long-term outcomes in children with major trauma and traumatic brain injuries: A single-centre retrospective study.

Introduction: We aim to investigate the functional outcomes and long-term health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children with major trauma associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Method: We performed a retrospective review of records among patients >2 and ≤16 years old in a tertiary paediatric hospital between January 2014 and October 2019 with major trauma (Injury Severity Score of ≥16) and TBI of all severities. We recorded each child's Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended Pediatric Version (GOS-E Peds) at 12 months post-injury and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) scores at 6 and 12 months post-injury based on the parent proxy-report scales. Results: We included 53 patients with a median age of 9.0 years old (interquartile range 2.3-15.5). Most injuries were due to falls (30, 56.6%) or road traffic collisions (15, 28.3%); 41 patients (77.3%) required intensive care while 30 patients (56.6%) underwent neurosurgical intervention. Most patients (43, 81.1%) had GOS-E Peds scores of ≤2 at 12 months post-injury. We reported a significant mean difference between the 6- and 12-month parent-reported scores for physical functioning (6.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3-12.8, P=0.041), psychosocial functioning (4.1, 95% CI 1.0-7.2, P=0.012) and overall scores (5.0, 95% CI 1.4-8.7, P=0.008). Compared with the validated PedsQL scores, our mean scores were higher across all domains at 12 months. Conclusion: With current standard of care, parents of children with major trauma and TBI reported gains in quality of life, physical, psychosocial and overall function between 6 and 12 months post-injury.

Risk Factors for Ankle Fractures in Asian Adolescents Seen in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric ankle injuries remain one of the most common presenting complaints to the pediatric emergency department (PED). In this study, we aimed to describe risk factors associated with simple ankle fractures and ankle fractures that require surgery, among adolescents presenting to the PED with ankle injuries. METHODS: We analyzed a retrospective cohort study of adolescents 12 to 16 years old who presented to our PED with an acute ankle injury and received an ankle radiograph from November 1, 2016, to October 31, 2017. Demographic, anthropometric variables, physical examination findings including those of the Ottawa Ankle Rules were obtained. We recorded any surgical interventions required, as well as follow-up and to return to physical activity. RESULTS: Five hundred fifty-six cases of adolescent ankle injuries were reviewed, of which 109 adolescents had ankle fractures, whereas 19 had ankle fractures requiring surgery. Sports-related injuries remained the most common cause of ankle fractures. Age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56-0.83; P < 0.001), male sex (aOR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.34-3.35; P < 0.001), clinical findings of tenderness over the lateral malleolus (aOR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.74-5.64; P < 0.001) or medial malleolus (aOR, 3.55; 95% CI, 2.18-5.78; P < 0.001), and inability to walk (aOR, 3.09; 95% CI, 1.95-4.91; P < 0.001) were significant independent risk factors for ankle fractures.Patients with a weight more than 90th centile for age were at greater risk of ankle fractures requiring surgery (aOR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.05-6.64; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: We found that younger age, male sex, and clinical findings in the Ottawa Ankle Rules correlated well with predicting ankle fractures and are well suited for application in the Southeast Asian population. Weight greater than the 90th percentile for age was a significant risk factor for ankle fractures requiring surgery.

Epidemiological trends and outcomes of children with aural foreign bodies in Singapore.

INTRODUCTION: Aural foreign bodies (FBs) are a common presenting complaint in emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. This study aims to describe trends and outcomes of aural FBs in the paediatric population, presenting to a tertiary hospital in Singapore. METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records was conducted of all children 0-16 years old with aural FBs who presented to KK Women's and Children's Hospital ED from 2013 to 2017. Clinical data that were collected include patient demographics, type of FB, ear compartment and laterality of FB, symptoms, duration of impaction, mode of removal, outcome in ED, and final disposition. RESULTS: There were a total of 1,003 cases. The largest age group consisted of 53.7% preschool children of 0-6 years. Males (61.7%) were more common than females (38.3%). FBs were predominantly organic materials (25.6%), followed by beads and stones (15.2%). Most FBs were found in the right ear (56.6%). The majority of patients were asymptomatic (62%). Symptoms observed included ear pain (20.1%), itch (4.8%) and bleeding (3.2%). FBs were removed by instruments (36.6%), suctioning (15.4%), syringing (8.2%), or a combination of methods (13.7%). In the ED, 73.9% of patients had an attempt at removal, among which 78.4% of FBs were successfully removed, 5.9% required specialist review, and 15.7% were unsuccessful. CONCLUSION: The majority of paediatric aural FBs can be successfully removed in the ED. Emergency physicians should be trained and equipped with the relevant skills to remove aural FBs.

Bedside Transorbital Ultrasound in the Clinical Evaluation of Pediatric Optic Neuritis in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: Headache and monocular visual disturbance are worrisome pediatric presenting complaints in the emergency department. Appropriate and timely initial evaluation is critical. Most would opt for urgent computer tomography in such cases. Pediatric optic neuritis is a rare condition and is better evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. With the increase in the use and scope of bedside ultrasound, there might be a potential role for transorbital ultrasound to be part of the emergency department evaluation of pediatric optic neuritis. CASE REPORT: This is the first pediatric case report on the use of bedside transorbital ultrasound in the emergency department evaluation of a 15-year-old girl with optic neuritis who presented with unilateral headache and left visual disturbance. Transorbital ultrasound of her left eye revealed an irregularly enlarged optic nerve sheath with increased optic nerve sheath diameter (5.1 mm) and an elevated optic disc height (0.5 mm). Ultrasound examination of her right eye was contrastingly normal, showing an optic nerve sheath diameter of 3.8 mm and that the optic disc was not elevated. The ultrasound findings correlated well with her magnetic resonance imaging of her orbits. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: The clinical findings and monocular ultrasound abnormalities facilitated the emergency department decision-making process and choice of neuroimaging. This highlights the use of transorbital ultrasound as a clinical adjunct and potential role in the emergency department clinical evaluation of a pediatric patient with optic neuritis. The finding of an irregularly enlarged optic nerve might be of potential clinical value but further studies are required.