Post-traumatic basal ganglia hemorrhage: analysis of 52 patients with emphasis on the final outcome.

Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

A series of 52 patients suffering post-traumatic basal ganglia hemorrhage (BGH) after closed head injury is reviewed. Post-traumatic BGH was associated with other intracranial lesions in most cases. The outcome in this series is rather good, with 53.8% of patients having a functional survival. Radiologically, the post-traumatic intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and brainstem hemorrhage usually coexisted with a poor outcome. Old age (greater than 60), abnormal pupil reaction, impaired oculocephalic response, and abnormal motor response to pain stimuli are reliable clinical hallmarks for poor prognosis.

PMID: 2002524 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]