Mortality following penetrating craniocerebral injuries. An analysis of the deaths in the Vietnam Head Injury Registry population.

A population of 1127 men with penetrating craniocerebral injuries who were alive 1 week after their injuries has been followed for 15 years. During this time, 90 deaths (8%) occurred. Most of the deaths occurred early in the 1st year after trauma and were secondary to the direct effects of brain injury or the sequelae of coma. Complications, particularly infections, were significant mortality factors. Coma was the best prognostic guideline. Posttraumatic epilepsy was not related to mortality except for the risks accompanying each ictus. The population now appears to be approaching the actuarial norm of their peers.