Endovascular treatment for traumatic ear bleeding associated with acute epidural hematoma

A 44-year-old woman presented with intractable ear bleeding after head trauma. Computed tomography showed a longitudinal petrosal bone fracture and a mastoid air cell hematoma with a small acute epidural hematoma. Conservative therapy for more than 12 hours failed to stop the bleeding, so we planned endovascular treatment rather than open surgery. Angiography of the external carotid artery demonstrated continuous extravasation of contrast material from the middle meningeal artery near the fracture line in the temporal bone. Intravascular embolization was performed using polyvinyl alcohol particles and gelatin sponge pieces, resulting in immediate successful hemostasis. Endovascular management should be considered for the treatment of intractable traumatic ear bleeding.     

Computerized tomography findings in multifocal glioma

Summary Six patients with multifocal glioma are presented. Computerized tomography revealed multiple, discrete, contrast-enhancing lesions in the cerebral hemispheres, suggestive of multiple intracranial metastases. The most accessible lesion was resected at craniotomy in each patient, confirming the diagnosis of primary malignant glioma. Postoperative radiation therapy and chometherapy were instituted according to current protocols. Since neuroradiological studies may not allow distinction of multifocal gloima from multiple brain metastases, surgical biopsy is suggested in those patients who have no history of cancer.     

Intraoperative development of contralateral epidural hematoma during evacuation of traumatic extraaxial hematoma

Intraoperative development of an epidural hematoma contralateral to a craniotomy for acute traumatic extraaxial hematoma has been previously reported. This entity, however, has never been distinctly defined and differentiated from either the delayed or the bilateral acute epidural hematoma. We present 3 new cases of intraoperative contralateral acute epidural hematoma and review the 14 previously reported cases. The typical clinical presentation is a severe head injury with an acute extraaxial hematoma and severe ipsilateral brain displacement during craniotomy. If brain displacement is not noted at craniotomy, then the contralateral hematoma is manifested by immediate postoperative neurological deterioration or intractable elevated intracranial pressure. The presence of any of these signs makes an immediate postoperative CT scan or burr holes contralateral to the original craniotomy mandatory for early diagnosis. In addition to defining "intraoperative contralateral epidural hematoma," stricter definitions of the terms "delayed epidural hematoma" (no hematoma present on the initial CT scan but one present on a later scan) and "bilateral epidural hematomas" (present on the initial scan) are proposed.     

CT findings in acute spinal epidural hematoma caused by a ruptured cavernous angioma

A case of acute spinal epidural hematoma due to the rupture of cavernous angioma is reported. A 68-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of hematoemesis. After the successful treatment of bleeding from a gastric ulcer by using endoscopical method, he noticed severe motor weakness in his lower extremities. Complete paraparesis of his lower limbs, total sensory loss below the level of fifth thoracic vertebrae, and bladder disturbance were revealed on neurological examination. A metrizamide myelogram showed complete block at the level of fourth thoracic vertebrae. A computed tomography (CT) scan disclosed a dorsolateral heterogeneous high density area (92 Hounsfield Unit) on the right with displacement of the spinal cord to the left, extending from the level of second to fifth thoracic vertebrae. He was operated thirty hours after the onset. After the laminectomy, an epidural hematoma covering over the dural sac was recognized. Following the removal of the hematoma, a hemorrhagic mass was disclosed and removed successfully. A pathological examination revealed cavernous angioma. His symptoms improved partially in three months after the operation. There have been thirteen cases of non-traumatic spinal epidural hematoma which had been diagnosed by CT scan, as far as we are aware. Although only four cases out of 13 were diagnosed without using any contrast materials, we stress that the spinal epidural hematoma can be diagnosed only by plain CT scan because of its characteristic clinical feature, attenuation coefficient, and mass effect to the spinal cord.     

急性硬膜外血肿的手术治疗体会

【摘要】 目的 总结急性硬膜外血肿的临床诊治经验。方法 回顾性分析自2005年至2012年间在我院住院治疗的75例急性硬膜外血肿患者的临床资料的临床资料;所有患者均行骨瓣开颅血肿清除手术治疗。结果 75例患者中59例治愈,8例好转,2例重残,6例死亡,总有效率为89.33%。结论 急性硬膜外血肿是临床上的急重症,通过早期积极的手术治疗,可以取得满意的疗效。     

A comparative study on therapeutic method of traumatic epidural hematoma

Objective： To explore the therapeutic methods, surgical indications and clinical practice of minimally invasive surgery on traumatic epidural hematoma （EDH）. Methods： Retrospective study was made on 135 patients with traumatic EDH admitted into our hospital from June 2002 to August 2005. Sixty-five patients were treated with mini-invasive negative pressure drainage （treatment group）, 70 patients with comparable condition used traditional craniotomy （control group ）. The mean time of operation, average days in hospital, expenditure and prognosis of two groups were recorded and analyzed. Results： There was no significant difference in therapeutic efficacy between two groups. Patients in treatment group had a shorter hospital stay and less expenditure than those in control group. Conclusion： Mini-invasive negative pressure drainage is simple, effective, economical and applicable to some traumatic EDH patients.     

急性外伤性脑干血肿的治疗

急性外伤性脑干血肿临床上较少见，病情危重，死亡率高，报道死亡率达５７．１％犤１犦。本院自１９９８年６月至２００１年６月，共收治急性外伤性脑干血肿患者１０例，经综合治疗后，疗效良好，现报告如下。临床资料１．一般资料：本组１０例，男７例，女３例；年龄６～６８岁，平均３７．５岁；致伤原因：车祸伤７例，坠落伤２例，打击伤１例。２．临床表现：本组病人均因脑外伤入院，按GCS评分：１４分１例，６～８分６例，３～５分３例。双侧瞳孔散大１例，一侧瞳孔散大１例，双侧瞳孔缩少３例。去脑强直２例，去皮层状态２例，四肢…     

Differences of acute and chronic epidural hematoma]

Standard neurosurgical management demands prompt evacuation of all extradural hematomas to obtain a low incidence of mortality and morbidity. In selected cases some authors have suggested that moderate hematomas can be managed conservatively without risk to the patient and with a normal outcome. The goal of this study was to analyze the differences in preoperative clinical parameters between a group of acute and a group of chronic extradural hematomas (chronic extradural hematoma was defined as a delay of more than 72 h from the accident to diagnosis). One hundred fifteen (115) patients with extradural hematomas underwent a standard evaluation, documentation and neurosurgical management (prompt evacuation of all extradural hematomas through a craniotomy). Ninety-five patients (83%) had an acute extradural hematoma. Twenty patients (17%) had a chronic extradural hematoma. We analyzed the following parameters: age, cause of accident, clinical findings, Glasgow Coma Score, morphology of hematoma, location of hematoma, cause of bleeding and clinical outcome. The mean age (chronic 30/acute 32) and age distribution were not significantly different between groups. There were no differences in the cause of accident. All patients in both groups had skull fractures. There was no difference between groups regarding hematoma location, most of there being located in the temporal fossa. In the group of acute extradural hematomas, 62% of patients had a Glasgow Coma Score of less than 8 and 47% had pupillary dilation. In the group of chronic extradural hematomas, moderate clinical symptoms were found, with headache and discrete psychological changes most common. Eighty percent (80%) of the patients had a Glasgow Coma Score of greater than 13 and no patients had pupillary dilation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Rapid disappearance of acute posterior fossa epidural hematoma

A 34-year-old man presented with an acute epidural hematoma that resolved within 24 hours after a fall. On admission, neurological examination found no abnormalities. Computed tomography (CT) indicated a linear fracture in the occiput. Four hours after the injury, the patient's condition worsened and repeat CT showed a bilateral epidural hematoma in the posterior fossa extending over the bilateral transverse sinuses and severe brain swelling. The patient's family refused surgery. Conservative management with pentothal was performed in the intensive care unit. Follow-up CT 21 hours after the initial injury showed complete resolution of the hematoma and an increase in the CT density of the pericranial soft tissue near the hematoma. The pressure gradient between the subgaleal and epidural space may have been important in the rapid disappearance of this epidural hematoma.     

The impact of coagulopathy on the outcome of traumatic epidural hematoma

Purpose

To evaluate the impact of trauma-associated coagulation disorders on the neurological outcome in patients with traumatic epidural hematoma undergoing surgical or non-surgical treatment. A retrospective analysis was performed using prospectively collected data in a consecutive patient series from a level 1 trauma center.

Methods

Eighty-five patients with traumatic epidural hematoma were identified out of 1,633 patients admitted to our emergency room with traumatic head injuries between October 2004 and December 2008. The following prospectively assessed parameters were analyzed: Glasgow Coma Scale, coagulopathy, presence of skull fractures, additional injuries, the Injury Severity Score, hematoma volume and thickness at admission, hematoma volume progression over time and neurologic symptoms. Furthermore, patients were grouped based on whether they had undergone surgical or non-surgical treatment of the epidural hematoma. Clinical outcome was determined according to the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) at hospital discharge.

Results

Patients with coagulopathy showed significantly lower GOS values compared to patients with intact blood coagulation. Initial and progressive hematoma volumes did not influence neurological outcome. Patients with multiple injuries did not show a worse outcome compared to those with isolated epidural hematoma. There was no difference in patient’s outcome after surgical or non-surgical treatment.

Conclusions

Poor outcome after traumatic epidural hematoma was associated with coagulopathy. Progression of epidural hematoma volume was not associated with coagulopathy or with poor neurological outcome. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these results.     

Abrupt exacerbation of acute subdural hematoma mimicking benign acute epidural hematoma on computed tomography--case report

A 75-year-old male was hit by a car, when riding a bicycle. The diagnosis of acute epidural hematoma was made based on computed tomography (CT) findings of lentiform hematoma in the left temporal region. On admission he had only moderate occipitalgia and amnesia of the accident, so conservative therapy was administered. Thirty-three hours later, he suddenly developed severe headache, vomiting, and anisocoria just after a positional change. CT revealed typical acute subdural hematoma (ASDH), which was confirmed by emergent decompressive craniectomy. He was vegetative postoperatively and died of pneumonia one month later. Emergent surgical exploration is recommended for this type of ASDH even if the symptoms are mild due to aged atrophic brain.     

Computerized tomography cystography for the diagnosis of traumatic bladder rupture

PURPOSE: We present our experience with computerized tomography (CT) cystography for diagnosing bladder rupture in patients with blunt abdominal and pelvic trauma, and compare the results of CT cystography with those of surgical exploration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified all patients with blunt trauma diagnosed with bladder rupture from 1992 to September 1998. We reviewed the radiology computerized information system for all CT cystography performed to evaluate blunt trauma during the same period. We also reviewed the medical records and pertinent radiographic studies of patients with bladder rupture who underwent CT cystography as part of the hospital admission evaluation. Operative and radiographic findings were compared. RESULTS: CT cystography was performed in 316 patients as part of the initial evaluation of blunt trauma. Of the 44 patients with the ultimate diagnosis of bladder rupture CT cystography revealed bladder rupture in 42, while 23 of the 28 (82%) who underwent formal bladder exploration had operative findings that exactly matched the CT cystography interpretation in terms of the presence and type of rupture. In the 316 patients CT cystography detected bladder rupture with an overall sensitivity and specificity of 95% and 100%, respectively. For intraperitoneal rupture sensitivity was 78% and specificity was 99%. CONCLUSIONS: CT cystography provides expedient evaluation of bladder rupture due to blunt trauma and has accuracy comparable to that reported for plain film cystography. We recommend CT cystography over plain film cystography in patients undergoing CT for other injuries associated with blunt trauma.     

Rim enhancement in computed tomography with chronic epidural hematoma.

Three cases of epidural hematoma with delayed clinical course are presented. In each patient, computed tomography (CT) initially failed to show typical biconvex, high density extra-axial lesion. The correct diagnosis was reached only after injection of contrast medium revealed enhancement of the border of the hematoma. Importance of contrast enhancement in selected patients with head injury is stress, and the mechanism of rim enhancement is discussed.     

外伤性急性硬膜下血肿的治疗体会

急性硬膜下血肿是颅脑损伤较为常见的继发性损害,死亡率及致残率均较高.本院1999年1月至2002年5月,共收治外伤性急性硬膜下血肿患者198例,根据患者不同情况,分别采用了不同的治疗方案,取得了较好的疗效.现报道如下.     

Computerized tomography findings in arteriovenous malformations of the brain.

Computerized tomography (CT) scans of 54 patients with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the brain were reviewed. The 31 males and 23 females (mean age: 33 years) were classified according to clinical presentation: 1) intracranial hemorrhage (30 patients); 2) seizure disorder (19 patients); and 3) other neurological disturbance (five patients). A brain hematoma was identified in all of the patients in the hemorrhage group have a CT scan within 1 week of the bleed. Extension of hemorrhage into the ventricular system as seen in eight cases was invariably accompanied by severe neurological dysfunction. A high-density lesion without associated mass effect was found in 48% of patients presenting with a seizure disorder. Dilatation of the ipsilateral lateral ventricle, a common finding in this group of patients, was thought to indicate an atrophic process. Evidence of discrete brain infarction was unusual. Intravenous infusion with Hypaque provided additional information in 31 of the 35 patients so studied. Demonstration of prominent or enlarged feeding arteries and/or draining veins occurred in 20% of patients with large malformations. Six cases of angiographically occult AVM's were found. A correlation of the CT scan with clinical, angiographic, and histological findings is presented.