True hemicranial decompression for severe pediatric cranial trauma: a short series of 4 cases and literature review.
BACKGROUND
Traumatic acute SDH in pediatric patients is a life-threatening situation. There is a severe increase in ICP caused by acute SDH or diffuse brain swelling or secondary to ischemic brain damage. In certain situations, conventional measures may fail to control such a rapid increase in ICP.


METHODS
The cases of 4 pediatric patients with cranial trauma with raised ICP, in whom hemicranial decompression was performed, are described. All patients had acute SDH with diffuse brain injury; in addition, 2 of them had associated massive infarcts. Three of them survived and had a favorable outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
In certain situations, pediatric patients with cranial trauma may be offered hemicranial decompression as a surgical option. These children may have a better long-term outcome despite massive infarcts.
Mukherjee
Kanchan Kumar
KK
Depatrment of Neurosurgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigash, India.
Mohindra
Sandeep
S
Gupta
Sunil Kumar
SK
Gupta
Rahul
R
Khosla
Virender Kumar
VK
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000401:mortality; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D020833:Diffuse Axonal Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome