Temporal lobe swelling: a common treatable complication of head injury.

Four cases are described of focal contusion and swelling of the temporal lobe after head injury, giving rise to acute cerebral compression. The clinical features, pathology and treatment of this condition are discussed. It is suggested that this occurrence may be a common treatable complication of closed head injuries which may easily be overlooked, with fatal results, if exploratory cranial surgery is undertaken without preliminary cerebral angiography.