EXTRADURAL HAEMATOMA EFFECT OF VARIOUS PROGNOSTIC FACTORS ON THE OUTCOME OF THE PATIENTS

Abstract

EDH is defined as collection of blood between the skull and dura, occurs frequently in young adults but may also occur in infants and children.

TraUlllatic EDH complicates 1-4 % of all head injury and a major factor contributing to morbidity and mortality.

The most common origin of EDH is traumatic lesion ofthe middle meningeal artery.

EDHs are generally devided into acute variety and those which present in a chronic fashion.

There is no typical clinical presentation of EDH. The typical clinical presentation is not pathognomic as it may occur with any post traumatic intracranial expanding lesion. So, clinical awa.mess and early diagnosis are the keys to succefull management and decreasing the mortality rate among patients with EDH, notably with presence of highly sensitive computerized tommography scanning and MRI.

Emergency plain x-ray skull may save the life of many patients due to the presence of fissure fracture which may help to localise the haematoma. Free plain x-ray skull does not exclude the presence of EDH.

CT scan brain is the safest and most reliable method in diagnosis, localization of EDH as will as detection of associated intradural lesion. It is done if the neurological condition of the patient is stable, the scan is available and the patient can be scanned in very short time.