title: Clinical significance of acute traumatic intracranial pneumocephalus.
abstract: Among 1142 patients with head injuries hospitalized in the Neurosurgery Department of Gazi University Medical School during the period between 1979 and 1992, 583 had initial CT scans. A retrospective analysis of these initial CT images revealed intracranial air on admission in only 21 cases. These were classified as acute traumatic intracranial pneumocephalus: a potentially serious complication of head injury. CT scans were re-evaluated so as to reveal whether air was situated in the epidural, subdural, or subarachnoid spaces or intracerebrally; whether associated space-occupying lesions were present and whether the air bubbles were single or multiple. Clinical data such as the presence of persistent rhinorrhea and/or otorrhea, tension pneumocephalus, severity and type of trauma, and outcome were were also assessed to determine the significance of this rare finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keskil
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baykaner
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ceviker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Işik
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cengel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Orbay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011007:Pneumocephalus / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed