Brain hematoma
Head injuries can be frivolous, however, intracranial hematoma is a very menacing and life-threatening condition that requires immediate treatment.
The brain is located inside the skull, it is surrounded by a liquid that protects it from shocks during movement. But the liquid can not protect the brain from shock, in this case the brain is shaken and strikes against the wall of the skull, so a brain stroke can occur.
Intracranial hematomas are formed when a blood vessel ruptures in the brain itself, or between the skull and the brain, and the accumulation of blood presses on its tissue. Hematoma, most often, requires surgery to remove it. But if the hematoma is not large in size, then the operation may not be necessary.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of intracranial hematoma appear immediately after the injury through this or that time interval. The more time passes, the greater the pressure on the brain, causing the following symptoms:
- headache;
- nausea;
- state of drowsiness;
- dizziness;
- fogging of consciousness;
- slow speech;
- different pupil size;
- weakness in the limbs from the 1 st side of the body.
With an abundance of blood that fills the brain, or the space between it and the skull, there may be other signs:
- convulsions;
- coma;
- lethargy.
Causes of Brain Brain
The cause of a hemorrhage is a serious head injury, for example, due to an accident. In people aged even a slight injury can cause intracranial hematoma and without external manifestations in the form of a bruise or wound.
However, trauma is not the only culprit in the emergence of an intracerebral hematoma. The formation of a hematoma can also lead to:
- damage to blood vessels, for example, an aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation;
- hypertension;
- neurological diseases;
- tumors;
- is a diseased liver;
- blood disease.
Types of hematomas
Consequences of head trauma can be intracerebral, subdural, or epidural hematoma.
Subdural hematoma
Subdural hematoma begins to progress with rupture of vessels, often and veins - between the brain and its outer membrane. The inflowing blood begins the formation of a hematoma that compresses the brain tissue. If the hematoma expands, a progressive fading of consciousness begins, which can lead to death.
Epidural hematoma
Another type of hematoma is called extradural. It progresses with the rupture of the artery between the outer shell of the brain and the skull. Damage to the artery occurs with a fracture of the skull. Blood flows between the solid outer shell of the brain and the skull, forming a mass that compresses the brain tissue.
Intracerebral hematoma
This type of hematoma is called intraparenchymatous. It develops when blood enters the brain. After a head injury, not even one hematoma can develop.
Medical examination and diagnosis
It is not easy to diagnose hematoma. But doctors suggest that a prolonged post-traumatic loss of consciousness is caused by a hemorrhage into the skull, unless, of course, another cause is identified.
It is best to diagnose hematoma using computer or magnetic resonance imaging.
Treatment of hematoma
Hematoma often requires surgery, the form of which depends on the properties of the hematoma. Existing variants:
- If the blood does not coagulate and is localized, the doctor can remove the liquid by punching, using suction.
- With extensive hematoma requires trepanation of the skull - only with this method hematoma can be removed.
There are cases where hematomas do not require surgery, provided a small size and lack of characteristic symptoms. In this case, the doctor will prescribe diuretics and corticosteroids to control the swelling after an injury.
