INTRODUCTION: Neonatal traumatic head injuries (NTHI) can be life-threatening and require aggressive treatment. The indications, techniques, and results of brain decompression are not well defined in the literature. METHODS: We studied prospectively cases of NTHI with intracranial traumatic lesions; skull fractures without underlying lesions were not included. We treated 17 cases of NTHI: 7 patients had a subdural hematoma, 3 had an extradural hematoma, and the others had subarachnoid hemorrhage. Surgical evacuation of intracranial clots was performed in 7 cases, by needle aspiration in 5 and by craniotomy in 2 patients with extradural hematomas. RESULTS: The outcome was favorable in all but one patient, who had hemophilia A, and died of rebleeding at the age of 2 months. CONCLUSION: Surgical decompression of intracranial hematomas due to NTHI is often unnecessary; however, it may be required in emergency because of poor clinical tolerance. Whenever possible, percutaneous needle aspiration is the treatment of choice.
INTRODUCTION:Neonatal traumatic head injuries (NTHI) can be life-threatening and require aggressive treatment. The indications, techniques, and results of brain decompression are not well defined in the literature. METHODS: We studied prospectively cases of NTHI with intracranial traumatic lesions; skull fractures without underlying lesions were not included. We treated 17 cases of NTHI: 7 patients had a subdural hematoma, 3 had an extradural hematoma, and the others had subarachnoid hemorrhage. Surgical evacuation of intracranial clots was performed in 7 cases, by needle aspiration in 5 and by craniotomy in 2 patients with extradural hematomas. RESULTS: The outcome was favorable in all but one patient, who had hemophilia A, and died of rebleeding at the age of 2 months. CONCLUSION: Surgical decompression of intracranial hematomas due to NTHI is often unnecessary; however, it may be required in emergency because of poor clinical tolerance. Whenever possible, percutaneous needle aspiration is the treatment of choice.
Authors: R G Perrin; J T Rutka; J M Drake; H Meltzer; J Hellman; V Jay; H J Hoffman; R P Humphreys Journal: Neurosurgery Date: 1997-06 Impact factor: 4.654
Authors: E H Whitby; P D Griffiths; S Rutter; M F Smith; A Sprigg; P Ohadike; N P Davies; A S Rigby; M N Paley Journal: Lancet Date: 2004-03-13 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Matthieu Peyre; Federico Di Rocco; Philippe Meyer; Chantal Rothschild; Christian Sainte-Rose; Michel Zerah Journal: Childs Nerv Syst Date: 2007-11-22 Impact factor: 1.475