The Value of the Canadian CT Head Rule and the New Orleans Criteria in Minor Head Trauma

A multicenter external validation study in 7 Tunisian teaching and non teaching hospitals including patients with MHI defined as a blunt trauma to the head within 24 hours with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13 to 15 and at least one of the following: history of loss of consciousness, short-term memory deficit, amnesia for the traumatic event, post-traumatic seizure, vomiting, headache, external evidence of injury above the clavicles, confusion, and neurologic deficit. Primary outcome was need for neurosurgical intervention defined as either death or craniotomy, or the need of endotracheal intubation within 30 days of the traumatic event. Secondary outcome was the presence of traumatic lesions on head CT scan. Comparaision of both decision rules using sensitivity specifications, positive and negative predictive value.