During traumatic brain injury, bleeding occurs in the brain and blood gets collected between the meninges of the brain i.e; the dura mater and arachnoid mater, causing hematoma formation and creating abnormal pressure on the brain. Subdural Hematoma (SDH) is a medical emergency.
Causes
- Road traffic accident.
- Assault.
- Sports injury.
- Fall from height.
Types
- Acute SDH:- It occurs within the first few hours after the injury. It is a medical emergency and needs immediate medical assistance.
- Chronic SDH:- It is most commonly seen in older people because ageing causes the brain to shrink and mild head injuries can result in tiny blood vessels bursting and cause bleeding on the brain surface. This type of hematoma grows after days to weeks of injury.
Symptoms
- Headache.
- Vomiting.
- Weakness and numbness on any part of the body.
- Difficulty in walking.
- Trouble in speech.
- Acting strange.
- Dizziness.
- Confusion.
- Amnesia of the event.
Diagnostic Tests
After physical examination, the doctor advises imaging tests such as CT scans and MRI depending upon the symptoms.
Treatment
Acute SDH is a medical emergency and requires immediate medical assistance and surgery for relieving pressure from the brain.
Chronic SDH requires management depending upon the size of the clot and symptoms. surgery for draining of the blood clot and stopping medications that can cause blood to thin.
