Chronic Subdural Hematoma
Chronic Subdural hematoma is one of the most common neurosurgical conditions. A chronic SDH is a collection of blood on the brain’s surface, under the outer covering of the brain. These liquefied clots most often occur in patients above the age of 60 with a brain atrophy. When the brain shrinks inside the skull over time, even a minor head trauma can cause a tear in the blood vessels over the brain’s surface. This would result in a slow accumulation of blood over several days to weeks. Less than half of the patients can only remember the traumatic event itself because even a relatively trivial head trauma can produce these slow hemorrhages.
Treatment Options
Chronic hematomas that do not cause any symptoms are observed and monitored regularly. Symptomatic chronic hematomas are treated to control the symptoms and reduce or prevent permanent brain damage.
Treatment may include
- Anticonvulsant medications to control seizures
- Corticosteroids to relieve inflammation
- Surgery of the skull to take out the clot – craniotomy
What are the symptoms of a Chronic SDH?
A chronic SDH might mimic a number of other brain disorders or diseases like dementia, stroke, encephalitis and brain lesions such as tumors or abscesses. The exact symptoms depend upon the location and size of the hematoma. A chronic SDH puts extreme pressure on the brain and can cause permanent brain damage and even death.
- Alcohol abuse
- Seizures
- Shunts that drain excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain
- Blood thinning medications
- Head injury
- Old age
- Diseases that reduce blood clotting
Complete patient history, physical and neurological examinations along with proper diagnostic procedures is required to diagnose hematomas.
Diagnostic procedure
- Head CT
- Head MRI
