Journal of paediatrics and child health
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J Paediatr Child Health · Aug 2018
Multicenter Study Observational StudyPenetrating head injuries in children presenting to the emergency department in Australia and New Zealand: A PREDICT prospective study.
Penetrating head injuries (pHIs) are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Data on pHIs in children outside North America are limited. We describe the mechanism of injuries, neuroimaging findings, neurosurgery and mortality for pHIs in Australia and New Zealand. ⋯ Paediatric pHIs are very rare in EDs in Australia and New Zealand but are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The absence of firearm-related injuries compared to North America is striking and may reflect Australian and New Zealand firearm regulations.