To date, there has been a paucity of research regarding the utility of brain imaging in falls occurring specifically among age care facility patients. Several studies have shown low intervention rates from brain imaging post falls [1,2]. Current local guidelines necessitate brain imaging in the presence of any known coagulopathy, suspected head injury, recent surgery, fall from greater than 1 metre in height and if the patient were regularly taking any anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy [3].We sought to: Investigate the rate of inpatient falls in...

A clinical audit was conducted in a Brighton interim care sub-acute hospital which comprised of a unique patient population reflective of aged patients for which most patients are awaiting age care facility placement. Risk-man data, which is the clinical reporting database used by Queensland Health, was obtained for all falls occurring in interim care during the year 2020.[Fig 1] Additional patient information was obtained from the patient's clinical record to assess for: age comorbidities mobility status presence of cognitive impairment prior falls prior traumatic intracranial...

Incidence of falls were 21% (112 falls per 525 patient admission). 19 of the 112 patients (17%) who had falls underwent head imaging post fall. Of the 19 head scans that were done, only 2 patients (10.5%) developed acute intracranial changes. The incidence of acute intracranial changes found post falls in this study population was 1.8% (2 per 112 falls). Of the 2 acute intracranial changes, none had focal neurological changes, change in GCS, anticoagulation, or any signs of external head injury. None of the...

There was an overall low incidence of acute intracranial changes post fall on head imaging from the interim care population. This audit found that brain imaging post fall did not result in any significant change in management, specifically neurosurgical intervention.

1. Stephen, S., Wong, E., Idris, A. and Lim, A., 2019. Intracranial haemorrhage detected by cerebral computed tomography after falls in hospital acute medical wards. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1). 2. Pages, P., Boncoeur-Martel, M., Dalmay, F., Salle, H., Caire, F., Mounayer, C. and Rouchaud, A., 2020. Relevance of emergency head CT scan for fall in the elderly person. Journal of Neuroradiology, 47(1), pp.54-58. 3. Queensland Health. 2019. In-patient Post Fall Clinical Pathway. [online] Available at: <https://qheps.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0041/2696864/SW330.PDF> [Accessed 3 April 2022].