ackground: The prevalence of cranial nerve injury after a head injury ranges from 5% to 23%. Injury to the cranial nerve (CN) has been linked to a higher severity of the injury..
Patients and methods: This retrospective study was carried out on patients admitted at Sohag University Hospitals, and Alexandria Insurance Hospital during the period (January 2011- December 2018) with a head injury and cranial nerve affection. After we excluded the patients with incomplete data and those who didn't complete the follow-up period, just 544 patients were enrolled in the study.
Results: Males constituted 374 patients(68.6 %). Mean age was 13 years. Mode of trauma was due to road traffic accidents (RTA) in 255 patients(46.7 %), falling from height in 153 patients( 28.1%), and hitting object in136 patients( 25%) patients. There were 34 patients (6.7%) of patients with affected olfactory nerve, 68 patients(13.3%) with optic nerve, 34 patients(6.7%) with occulomotor, 18 patients (3.3%) with trochlear nerve, 170 patients (33.3%) with abducent nerve, 391 patients(67.7%) with facial nerve and 34 patients (6.7%) with vestibulocochlear nerve injuries. Multiple cranial affection was in 136 patients ( 22.6 %) .Most (93.7%) 510 patients were managed conservatively and 34 patients (6.3%) were surgically treated.
Conclusions: RTA was the most prevalent cause of trauma victims. The face and abducent nerves are the cranial nerves that are most usually impacted. The trigeminal and lower four cranial nerves are very rarely affected. Early recognition and treatment may have beneficial effects..