Epidural hematoma

Uncommon card · No. 94967

Epidural hematoma is when bleeding occurs between the tough outer membrane covering the brain (dura mater) and the skull. When this condition occurs in the spinal canal, it is known as a spinal epidural hematoma. There may be loss of consciousness following a head injury, a brief regaining of consciousness (lucid period), and then loss of consciousness again, which is seen in about 14% to 21% of patients. Other symptoms may include headache, confusion, vomiting, an inability to move parts of the body, coma, or transient unconsciousness. In some patients, a small epidural hematoma may present with no symptoms. Complications may include seizures, increased intracranial pressure, cognitive impairment, and death if not treated promptly. The cause is typically a head injury that results in a break of the temporal bone and bleeding from the middle meningeal artery. Around 10% of cases are attributed to venous bleeding as a result of injury to the dural venous sinus or diploic veins. Occasionally...

Read on Wikipedia · Image James Heilman, MD, CC BY-SA 4.0