Abstract:
Aim: The aim of this study is to reveal th evariability of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) with age and to compare the
ONSD with increasing intracranial pressure (ICP) findings in computerised cranial tomography (CCT) images of pediatric patients
presenting to the emergency department with head trauma.
Material and Methods: The ONSD values of the patients were measured in the transverse sections of the CCT images. The patients
who were found to have pathology in CCT images were taken into Group 1 and normal patients were taken in Group 2 as the control
group. The data were recorded in the SPSS 21 program. The age, gender, Glasgow Coma Scale, and ONSD values of the groups and
the difference between the ONSD values of both eyes were compared.
Results: A total 294 patients were included in the study. Sixty eight patients (23%) were enrolled in Group 1 and 226 (77%) patients
were enrolled in Group 2. The mean ONSD value of Group 1 was 5.5±1.08 mm whereas that of Group 2 was measured as 4.1±0.69
mm (p<0.001). One hundred sixty seven patients were discharged after 8-hour monitorization in the emergency room. These patients
age were between 0 and 60 months. A statistically significant correlation was found between the ONSD values and ages of these
patients (r:0.348, p=001).
Conclusions: Simultaneous measurement of the ONSD and the ONSD difference is an effective method for determining the increase
and severity of ICP in children with head trauma.
