Chronic epidural hematomas in childhood: increased recognition and non-surgical management.
Three children with chronic intracranial epidural hematomas are described. The hematomas were identified by computed tomographic scanning two to eleven days after a head injury. Two of the children were managed non-surgically over a one month period, during which time they remained stable without deteriorating consciousness or development of focal neurologic signs, and with evidence of resorption of the hematomas on follow-up scans. One child, initially clinically stable, had surgical evacuation of her clot 17 days after the injury because of a recurrence of vomiting. The children with chronic epidural hematomas managed without neurosurgical intervention were normal on subsequent neurologic examinations.
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006407:Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008576:Meningeal Arteries / Q000293:injuries; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000150:complications; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications