RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 An unusual presentation of a minor head injury sustained during a game of rugby
JF Emergency Medicine Journal
JO Emerg Med J
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the British Association for Accident & Emergency Medicine
SP 485
OP 486
DO 10.1136/emj.2006.042895
VO 24
IS 7
A1 Rimal, Debesh
A1 Thapa, Sonu R
A1 Munasinghe, Namal
A1 Errington, Mark
YR 2007
UL http://emj.bmj.com/content/24/7/485.abstract
AB In the UK, about 2% of the population attend the accident and emergency (A&E) department every year after a head injury. A majority of the patients have minor head injury and are discharged. Studies reveal that patients who reattend the A&E after a minor head injury represent a high-risk group. Concussion injuries are common and not all require treatment at the time of presentation. However, some may worsen after initial presentation and develop signs of serious head injury. A case of minor head injury as a result of head butt during a game of rugby, not associated with alteration in conscious state or focal neurological signs, and subsequent development of frontal lobe abscess a month later is reported. It is important that patients fit to be discharged at the time of consultation are discharged in the care of a responsible adult with clear head injury instruction sheets and are advised to return should their symptoms change. A high index of suspicion should be maintained and an early imaging technique, such as CT scan should be considered in patients reattending the A&E with persistent symptoms even after minor head injury.