title: Emergency evaluation of head injuries in the elderly.
abstract: The first hour after head injury in the elderly is the most critical. Airway obstruction and impaired cardiovascular reflex mechanisms are the major initial problems. A patient with an extracerebral hematoma may need emergency trephination. You must look for the specific clinical indications or use a CAT scan to identify surgically accessible lesions.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004630:Emergencies; D006406:Hematoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D014207:Trephining