Vigilancia epidemiológica del Traumatismo Encéfalo Craneano (TEC) en el Hospital San Bernardo de la Provincia de Salta, Argentina / Epidemiological surveillance of Cranial Brain Injury (TEC) at the San Bernardo Hospital in the Province of Salta, Argentina

Introducción: El TEC es una de las principales causas de discapacidad y muerte en nuestra sociedad. Tiene una mortalidad que ronda el 30% y una morbilidad cercana al 60%1, 2, 3, 4, 5.No hay un estudio estadístico epidemiológico exhaustivo sobre TEC en Argentina, por tal motivo la finalidad de este trabajo es conocer la epidemiología de esta patología en el Hospital San Bernardo (HSB) de Salta. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un trabajo observacional transversal prospectivo. Se incluyeron todos aquellos pacientes que ingresaban al HSB desde agosto de 2014 hasta agosto de 2015 por el servicio de guardia con diagnóstico de TEC asociado o no a politraumatismo. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó la versión 3.3.3. del Software R para Windows. Resultados: Se estudiaron un total de 1.496 pacientes de los cuales 76% fueron de sexo masculino y 24% femenino. El 84% de los TEC son leve, el 13% moderado y el 4% grave. Según el mecanismo del trauma, el 39% fue por accidente de tránsito, el 32% fue por agresión física y el 22% por caídas. El 19% de los pacientes fue internado. Los días promedio de internación son 10,27. De los pacientes internados, el 27% requirió cirugía de urgencia. Evaluado el GOS, el 19% tuvo GOS 1, 46% GOS 2 ­ 4 y 35% GOS 5. Conclusión: El TEC es una patología que afecta principalmente a adultos varones jóvenes. Las causas más frecuentes en nuestro medio son los accidentes de tránsito y la agresión física. El TEC en nuestro medio presenta una mortalidad global del 19%, con una morbilidad del 47%. Los datos estadísticos de nuestro Hospital referentes al TEC son concordantes con la bibliografía mundial

Introduction: Head Trauma (TBI) is one of the main causes of disability, death and economic loss in our society. It has a mortality of around 30% and a morbidity close to 60%1, 2, 3, 4, 5.There is no exhaustive statistical study on TBI in Argentina, for this reason the purpose of this project is to know the San Bernardo Hospital epidemiology of this pathology. Materials and methods: A prospective cross-sectional observational study was carried out. Patients who were admitted to the San Bernardo Hospital emergency department from August 2014 to August 2015 with a diagnosis of TBI associated or not with multiple trauma were included. Version 3.3.3 was used for statistical analysis of the R Software for Windows. Results: A total of 1.496 patients were studied, of which 76% were male and 24% female, with range of 14 ­ 97 years old (Table 4). 84% of TBI were mild, 13% moderate, and 4% severe. According to the mechanism of trauma, 39% was due to a traffic accident, 32% was due to physical aggression and 22% due to falls. 19% of the patients were hospitalized. The average days of hospitalization are 10.27. Of the hospitalized patients, 27% required emergency surgery. The patients GOS was 19% GOS 1, 46% GOS 2 ­ 4 and 35% GOS 5. Conclusion: TBI is a prevalent pathology that affects mainly young male adults. The most frequent cause in our environment are traffic accidents and physical aggression. TBI in our setting presents an overall mortality of 19% with a morbidity of 47%. Statistics of diagnosis and treatment of patients with TBI in our Hospital are similar to those published in the world bibliography and guidelines

[Cervical aspergillosis with dissemination to the central nervous system: Case reports and review of the literature]. / Aspergilosis cervical con diseminación al sistema nervioso central. Presentación de un caso y revisión de bibliografía.

BACKGROUND: Invasive aspergillosis (IA) of the central nervous system (CNS) is an uncommon condition that usually occurs in immunocompromised patients. This illness can manifest as meningitis, or as a micotic aneurism, stroke or abscess. The infection affects the CNS either primarily or, more often, secondarily via blood dissemination from a distant focus, and has a poor prognosis. We present a patient with IA primarily affecting the cervical bones, with later spread into the brain. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 25-year old male was receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphocytic leukemia when he developed pneumonitis secondary to methotrexate and was started on corticosteroids. He subsequently developed cervicalgia, prompting a needle biopsy of the fourth vertebrae, after which a diagnosis of osteomyelitis was made. Even though the biopsy culture was negative, empirical antibiotics were initiated. A parietal lobe lesion was treated surgically months later after the patient presented with three episodes of transient aphasia. After A. fumigatus grew in culture, the patient's antibiotic regimen was changed to treat the specific agent with a good response. CONCLUSION: IA must be considered a possibility whenever an immunocompromised patient presents with a new brain lesion. These lesions require surgical evacuation, a procedure that allows for diagnostic confirmation and enhances prognosis. Appropriate anti-fungal therapy must be started as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed. In addition, the patient's neurological exam must be repeated and images obtained periodically to monitor treatment and detect possible recurrences.