[Three infants with epidural hematoma]

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2001 Sep 22;145(38):1825-8.
[Article in Dutch]

Abstract

Three infants, two boys aged 10 months and one girl aged 5 months, developed drowsiness and emesis within a few hours of a fall (after which they had not lost consciousness). Radiological examination revealed an epidural haematoma which was treated with emergency decompression. The children subsequently made a good recovery. An epidural haematoma is a potentially life-threatening event. More than 20% of all cases of epidural haematoma occur in childhood. In contrast with distinct symptoms in most adults and older children, an epidural haematoma in infancy can have a minimum of symptoms. The open fontanelle means compression occurs less rapidly, but consequently blood loss can be greater, leading to acute anaemia, hypovolaemic shock and consumptive coagulopathy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls*
  • Age Factors
  • Decompression, Surgical
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / diagnosis*
  • Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / diagnostic imaging
  • Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / etiology
  • Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial / surgery
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Skull Fractures / complications*
  • Sleep Stages
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vomiting / etiology