title: Traumatic acute subdural haematomas of the posterior fossa: clinicoradiological analysis of 24 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We report 24 patients with a traumatic acute subdural haematoma of the posterior fossa managed between 1997 and 1999 at 8 Italian neurosurgical centres.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each centre provided data about patients' clinico-radiological findings, management, and outcomes, which were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A poor result occurred in 14 patients (58.3%). Ten patients (41.7%) had favourable results. Patients were divided into two groups according to their admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores. In Group 1 (12/24 cases; GCS score, > or =8), the outcome was favourable in 75% of cases. In Group 2 (12/12 cases; GCS score, <8), the outcome was poor in 91.6% of cases. Nineteen patients underwent posterior fossa surgery. Factors correlating to outcome were GCS score, status of the basal cisterns and the fourth ventricle, and the presence of supratentorial hydrocephalus. Multivariate analysis showed significant independent prognostic effect only for GCS score (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  acute posterior fossa subdural haematomas can be divided into two distinct groups: those patients admitted in a comatose state and those with a moderate/mild head injury on admission. Comatose patients present usually with signs of posterior fossa mass effect and have a high percentage of bad outcomes. On the contrary, patients admitted with a GCS of 8 or higher are expected to recover. In these patients the thickness of the haematoma (<1 cm) seems to be a guide to indicate surgical evacuation of the haematoma.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Neurochirurgica, Università di Messina, Messina, Italy. davellan@unime.it
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: d'Avella
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Servadei
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scerrati
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tomei
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brambilla
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Massaro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stefini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cristofori
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cardali
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomasello
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003399:Craniotomy; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D020199:Hematoma, Subdural, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011011:Pneumoencephalography; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014696:Ventriculostomy