Acute traumatic vertex epidural haematomas surgically treated.

Eleven consecutive cases of acute traumatic vertex epidural haematomas (VEDHs) among 416 epidural haematomas (EDHs) operated on during the same period in the Neurosurgical Clinic of the University of Genoa, are reported. Clinical features, neuroradiological aspects (X-ray, angiography and CT scan) and results are discussed, in order to point out the problems encountered in the diagnosis, expecially due to the mystifying clinical picture and the unsuitability of the axial CT scan in the detection of these lesions. In this series mortality rate was 18%, against 50% reported in the literature.