OBJECTIVETo probe the incidence, pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of traumatic subdural hydroma (TSH) developing into chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH).

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 32 patients with TSH developing into CSDH and reviewed related literature.

RESULTS16.7% of TSH developed into CSDH in this study. The time of evolution was from 22 to 100 days after head injury. All the patients were cured with hematoma drainage.

CONCLUSIONSTSH is one of the origins of CSDH. The clinical characteristics of TSH developing into CSDH follow that the ages of the patients are polarized, that the evolution often happens in the patients with small chronic hydromas and being treated conservatively, that the patients are usually injured deceleratedly and that the accompanying cerebral damage is often very mild.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain Injuries ; complications ; Child ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Hematoma, Subdural ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Subdural Effusion ; complications ; etiology

We reviewed serial computed tomographic (CT) scans of 58 patients with traumatic subdural hygroma (SDG) to investigate its natural history. All were re-evaluated with a special reference to the size and density of SDG. Thirty-four patients (58.6%) were managed conservatively and 24 patients (41.4%) underwent surgery. The lesion was described as remained, reduced, resolved, enlarged and changed. Means of interval from injury to diagnosis and any changes in CT were calculated. SDGs were resolved in 12 (20.7%), reduced in 15 (25.9%), remained in 10 (17.2%), enlarged in 2 (3.4%), and changed into chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) in 19 patients (32.8%). SDG was diagnosed at 11.6 days after the injury. It was enlarged at 25.5 days, remained at 46.0 days, reduced at 59.3 days, resolved at 107.5 days, and changed into CSDH at 101.5 days in average. SDGs were developed as delayed lesions, and changed sequentially. They enlarged for a while, then reduced in size. The final path of a SDG was either resolution or CSDH formation. Nearly half of SDGs was resolved or reduced within three months, however, 61.3% of unresolved or unreduced SDG became iso- or hyperdense CSDH. These results suggest that the unresolved SDG is the precursor of CSDH.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Craniocerebral Trauma/complications ; Disease Progression ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic/radiography* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic/pathology* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic/etiology ; Human ; Infant ; Longitudinal Studies ; Lymphangioma/radiography ; Lymphangioma/pathology ; Lymphangioma/etiology ; Middle Age ; Subdural Effusion/radiography* ; Subdural Effusion/pathology* ; Subdural Effusion/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

OBJECTIVEIntra-ventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is one of the most serious complications of preterm infants. Significant numbers of the surviving infants with severe IVH go on to develop post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH). The management of PHH remains a very challenging problem for both neonatologists and pediatric neurosurgeons. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the use of Ommaya reservoirs and serial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage in the management of a series of neonates with PHH.

METHODBetween January 1, 2003 and December 30, 2005, 15 consecutive newborn infants with IVH grades III to IV, complicated with progressive ventricular dilatation, underwent placement of an Ommaya reservoir. CSF was intermittently aspirated percutaneously from the reservoir. The amount and frequency of CSF aspiration were based on the clinical presentation and the follow-up results of serial cranial ultrasonograms or CT scans. The changes of CSF cell counts and chemistries were also followed. Patients whose progressive ventricular dilatation persisted despite serial CSF aspiration through Ommaya reservoir eventually had ventriculo-peritoneal shunts (V-P shunt) placed. All the patients were followed up in the outpatient clinic after discharge from the hospital and the neurodevelopmental outcomes were evaluated through 18-36 months of age.

RESULTA total of 15 infants were included in this series. Of them, 11 were preterm infants who were at gestational ages of 29 to 34 weeks and 4 infants were full-term. All of the 4 full term infants presented with progressive ventricular dilatation after suffering from the intra-cranial hemorrhage (3 infants were due to vitamin K deficiency and 1 was due to birth trauma). Thirteen infants had grade III IVH, and 2 had grade IV IVH based on initial cranial ultrasonographic and CT scans. The mean age when IVH was diagnosed was (9 +/- 1) days in preterm infants and (22 +/- 7) days in full-term infants; the mean age when Ommaya reservoir was placed was (18 +/- 11) days in preterm infants and (31 +/- 7) days in full-term infants. All the infants tolerated the surgical procedure well. The Ommaya reservoir was tapped for an average of (21.5 +/- 4.6) times per patient. The mean CSF volume per tap was (10.2 +/- 1.3) ml/kg. The values of CSF protein, glucose and cell counts slowly reached normal levels at approximately 3 - 5 weeks after the placement of the reservoir. The velocity of head circumference increase per week was less than 1 cm in 13 patients in 1 - 4 weeks after the placement of the reservoir and the size of ventricles decreased gradually. By 12 - 18 months, 12 infants had normal size ventricles, and 1 patient still had mild ventricular dilation at 36 months. Two infants developed progressive hydrocephalus after serial CSF aspiration through Ommaya reservoir. One infant had a V-P shunt placed at 2 months of age and another infant died at 3 months of age at home after parents refused further therapy. Complications consisted of reservoir leaking and CSF infection at 16th day of placement in one patient after repeated tapping. By the end of 18 - 36 months of follow-up, 11 of 14 infants were considered normal, two patients had mild impairment in neurodevelopmental outcome (both had spastic bilateral lower limbs paresis, and one of whom also had amblyopia) and the other had seizure disorder.

CONCLUSIONThe results from this series indicate that the placement of an Ommaya reservoir is relatively safe in newborn infants and is useful in the initial management of neonates with PHH and may be beneficial in improving their neurodevelopmental outcomes. A multicenter randomized trial may be needed to further validate the results of this report.

Cerebral Hemorrhage ; complications ; therapy ; Cerebral Ventricles ; Drainage ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; etiology ; therapy ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Subdural Effusion ; etiology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in the transformation of subdural effusion into chronic subdural hematoma.

METHODSThe clinical data of 8 patients with subdural effusion that transformed into chronic subdural hematoma were collected and MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were detected in the sudural effusion, chronic subdural hematoma and capsules of hematoma using gelatin-zymography.

RESULTSMMP-2 and MMP-9 increased significantly in chronic subdural hematoma as compared with those in subdural effusion (P<0.01), and their levels were also significantly higher in the outer membrane than in the inner membrane of hematoma.

CONCLUSIONSubdural effusion is a risk factor for the occurrence of chronic subdural hematoma, in which process MMP plays a role as the promoting factor acting primarily in the outer membrane of the hematoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Hematoma, Subdural ; enzymology ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Subdural Effusion ; complications ; enzymology

OBJECTIVETo probe into the incidence, mechanism and clinical characteristics of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) evolving from traumatic subdural effusion (TSE).

METHODSThe clinical materials of 32 patients with CSDH evolving from TSH were analyzed retrospectively and the correlative literature was reviewed.

RESULTS16.7% of the patients with TSH evolved into CSDH. The time of evolution was 22 - 100 days after head injury. All patients were cured with hematoma drainage.

CONCLUSIONSTSE is one of the origins of CSDH. The clinical characteristics of TSE evolving into CSDH include polarization of patient age, and chronic small effusion. The patients are usually injured deceleratedly and accompanied with mild cerebral damage.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Hematoma, Subdural ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Subdural Effusion ; physiopathology ; Wounds and Injuries ; physiopathology

Hamartoma ; complications ; surgery ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; etiology ; Hypothalamic Diseases ; complications ; surgery ; Infant ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Puberty, Precocious ; etiology ; Subdural Effusion ; etiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the management and outcome of cerebrospinal fluid leakage (CSFL) after cervical surgery.

METHODSMedical records of 642 patients who underwent cervical surgery between December 1999 and December 2005 at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Five patients complicated by CSFL after surgery were enrolled, of which 4 cases were complicated after ossified posterior longitudinal ligament or posterior vertebral osteophyte resection directly injuring the dura, and 1 case after posterior cervical double-door laminoplasty without observed dural injury during surgery. Of the 5 CSFL cases, 4 cases occurred at 1-3 days after operation and 1 case at 9 days after operation. All 5 postoperative CSFL cases were treated through wound drainage removal, wound sutures, prophylactic antibiotics, and continuous subarachnoid drainage in the elevated head position.

RESULTSAll 5 CSFL cases experienced leakage cessation within 1-3 days and wound healing within 4-8 days, and subarachnoid drainage lasted 11-16 days with an average volume of 320 mL (range, 150-410 mL). Four cases experienced headache, nausea and vomiting, 1 case suffered from somnolence and hyponatremia, and symptoms subsided after symptomatic treatment and intravenous fluid administration. All patients were followed up for an average of 32 months (range, 22-50 months). No occurrence of cerebrospinal fluid cyst or wound infection was observed. CSFL produced no significant negative effects upon neuromuscular function recovery.

CONCLUSIONContinuous subarachnoid cavity drainage in combination with elevated head position is a simple and safe non-surgical method in treatment of CSFL following cervical surgery.

Cerebrospinal Fluid ; metabolism ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Dura Mater ; injuries ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Subdural Effusion ; etiology ; therapy

Brain Injuries ; complications ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Subdural Effusion ; diagnosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed