What should you monitor for a subdural hematoma?
Subdural Hematoma Diagnosis People who get medical attention after a head injury often undergo head imaging, usually with computed tomography (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan). These tests create images of the interior of the skull, usually detecting any subdural hematoma present.
What is a subdural hematoma and how is it treated during an emergency?
Acute subdural hematomas usually occur because of a head injury. In cases that need immediate treatment, patients will undergo traditional surgery in which a portion of the skull is removed, the outermost covering of the brain (the dura) is opened, and the acute subdural hematoma is evacuated.
What is the treatment for subdural haematoma?
Burr holes Burr hole surgery is the main treatment for subdural haematomas that develop a few days or weeks after a minor head injury (chronic subdural haematomas). During the procedure, one or more small holes are drilled in the skull and a flexible rubber tube is inserted to drain the haematoma.
What is SDH in nursing?
SUBDURAL HEMATOMA (SDH) is characterized by a collection of blood or fluid blood products in the space between the dura mater and arachnoid or pial layer in the brain. An SDH can occur spontaneously or result from a head injury or various other pathologies.
What happens if a subdural hematoma is not treated?
Yes, a subdural hematoma can be a serious event. Occasionally, the bleed is slow and the body is able to absorb the pooled blood. However, if the hematoma is severe, the buildup of blood can cause pressure on the brain. This pressure can lead to breathing problems, paralysis and death if not treated.
How do you diagnose subdural hematoma?
Most people with a suspected subdural haematoma will have a CT scan to confirm the diagnosis. A CT scan uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of your body. It can show whether any blood has collected between your skull and your brain.
Can you fully recover from a subdural hematoma?
The speed of recovery often depends on the extent of damage the subdural hematoma has caused to the brain. Only between 20 and 30 percent of people can expect to see a full or nearly full recovery of brain functioning. Often, people treated quickly have the best chances of full recovery.
What are the features of subdural hematoma?
If you have a subdural hematoma, blood is leaking out of a torn vessel into a space below the dura mater, a membrane between the brain and the skull. Symptoms include ongoing headache, confusion and drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, slurred speech and changes in vision. Subdural hematomas can be serious.
How long does it take for a subdural hematoma to develop?
The symptoms of a subdural haematoma can develop soon after a severe head injury, or gradually over days or weeks after a more minor head injury. Sometimes you may not remember hitting your head at all. Symptoms of a subdural haematoma can include: a headache that keeps getting worse.
What is the prognosis for a subdural hematoma?
The prognosis for subdural hematomas is usually not clear at the initial time of treatment. The outlook can depend on how quickly treatment was given, where the head injury occurred, and how much the brain was damaged. Acute subdural hematomas – where a severe head injury causes immediate symptoms – have high injury and death rates.
Who is most likely to develop a subdural hematoma?
People with a bleeding disorder and people who take blood thinners are more likely to develop a subdural hematoma. A relatively minor head injury can cause a subdural hematoma in people with a bleeding tendency.
Is there a cure for a subdural hematoma?
For chronic subdural hematomas or when an acute hematoma is smaller than 1 cm in diameter, a surgeon may use burr hole surgery . During this procedure, the surgeon drills a small hole into the person’s skull and inserts a rubber tube to drain the blood. After surgery, a doctor will usually prescribe anti-seizure medication .
What increases my risk for a subdural hematoma?
Elderly people are at higher risk for chronic subdural hematoma because brain shrinkage causes these tiny veins to be more stretched and more vulnerable to tearing. In head injuries with sudden, severe bleeding causing a subdural hematoma, a person may lose consciousness and become comatose immediately.