injuries and poisoning
Intracranial Hematomas
Epidural Hematomas
Epidural hematomas are caused by bleeding from an artery or a large vein (venous sinus) located between the skull and the outer layer of tissue covering the brain. Bleeding often occurs when a skull fracture tears the blood vessel. A head injury can cause bleeding in the brain. It can result in a pocket of blood between the skull and the outer layer of tissue covering the brain. This pocket of blood is called an epidural hematoma. Or a pocket of blood may form between the outer and middle layers of tissue. This pocket of blood is called a subdural hematoma. A severe headache may develop immediately or several hours after the injury. The headache sometimes disappears but returns several hours later, worse than before. Deterioration in consciousness, including increasing confusion, sleepiness, and a deep coma, can quickly follow. Some people lose consciousness after the injury, regain it, and have a period of unimpaired mental function (lucid interval) before consciousness deteriorates again. People may develop paralysis on the side of the body opposite the hematoma, speech or language impairment, or other symptoms, depending on the Brain Dysfunction by Location . Early diagnosis of epidural hematomas is crucial and is usually based on results of computed tomography (CT). Doctors treat epidural hematomas as soon as they are diagnosed. Prompt treatment is necessary to prevent permanent damage. Usually, one or more holes are drilled in the skull to drain the excess blood. The surgeon also seeks the source of the bleeding and stops the bleeding. 