Ophthalmic Findings of Abusive Head Trauma in Korea from a Single-large Trauma Center, 2011-2022

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the ophthalmic findings associated with abusive head trauma (AHT) at a major trauma center in Korea.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 14 children with AHT referred for an ophthalmologic examination at a large regional trauma center from January 2011 to December 2022. We analyzed pertinent findings for AHT and its sequelae on brain computed tomography, skeletal surveys obtained using X-ray, external photographs, and fundus photographs taken with a portable fundus camera.Results: Among 14 patients (mean age, 7.4 months) with subdural hematoma from AHT, nine (64.3%) had retinal hemorrhages. Eight of these patients (88.9%) required neurosurgery, while only one child (20.0%) among the five without retinal hemorrhages needed drainage for brain hemorrhages. All patients with retinal hemorrhages (mean age, 6.0 months) presented with numerous multilayered hemorrhages across the entire retina including dome-shaped hemorrhages (six patients), perimacular ridges (one patient), and retinal hemorrhages at different stages of healing (one patient). The retinal hemorrhages resolved within an average of 2.4 months without necessitating retinal surgery. In five patients followed for an average of 28.2 months, there were instances of optic disc pallor in three, cortical visual impairment in one, and fovea scarring in one.Conclusions: More than half of the Korean children with AHT had extensive retinal hemorrhages leading to ophthalmic sequelae in the majority. These findings support the need for long-term active ophthalmic follow-up in AHT cases.