title: Disseminated intravascular coagulation after isolated mild head injury.
abstract: A rare case is described of acute disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) following isolated mild head injury with acute subdural haematoma, coagulopathy onset preceding craniotomy. Surgical treatment of the cause followed by swift diagnosis and treatment soon after surgery enabled a good outcome. Post-operative recollection of subdural and extadural blood was treated by further surgery. DIC following isolated mild head injury without axonal damage is rare, but fatal if missed. Thrombocytopaenia in head injured patients should be investigated expediently. Post-operative interim imaging (if not standard practice) should also be considered to exclude haemorrhagic recollection requiring further surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, The West Wing, The John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK. eacp@eacp.co.uk
authors.forename: Erlick A C
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Alexander L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Hari
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chandran
authors.forename: Shabin M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shlugman
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Cudlip
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003399:Craniotomy; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D016489:Head Injuries, Closed / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006407:Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D020199:Hematoma, Subdural, Acute / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D010949:Plasma; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D013355:Subdural Space / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology; D013925:Thromboplastin / Q000378:metabolism; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014754:Violence
chemical_list: D013925:Thromboplastin