• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제66권4호
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• pp.446-455
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• 2023

Objective : Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common neurosurgical disease and generally treated with burr-hole surgery alone. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic agent that potentially reduces recurrence rates and the residual hematoma volume. However, the role of postoperative TXA medication remains unclear to date. This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of adjunctive TXA in the view of early hematoma resolution. Methods : Between January 2018 and September 2021, patients with CSDH who underwent burr-hole trephination in a single tertiary institute were reviewed. The study population was divided into three groups, TXA, non-TXA, and antithrombotics (AT) groups, according to the medical history of cardio-cerebrovascular disease and TXA administration. The primary endpoint was CSDH recurrence, defined as re-appearance or re-accumulation of CSDH requiring neurosurgical interventions. The secondary outcome was CSDH resolution, defined as complete or near-complete resorption of the CSDH. The CSDH resolution time and serial changes of hematoma thickness were also investigated. Results : A total of 240 patients was included in the analysis consisting of 185 male and 55 female, with a median age of 74 years. During the median imaging follow-up period of 75 days, 222 patients were reached to the primary or secondary endpoint. TXA was administered as an adjunctive therapy in 41 patients (TXA group, 16.9%) while 114 patients were included in the non-TXA group (47.9%) and 85 were in the AT group. The recurrence rate was the lowest in the TXA group (2.4%), followed by non-TXA (7.0%) and AT (8.2%) groups. However, there was no statistical significance due to the small number of patients with recurrence. CSDH resolution was achieved in 206 patients, and the median estimated time to resolution was significantly faster in the TXA group (p<0.001). Adjunctive TXA administration was a significant positive factor for achieving CSDH resolution (p<0.001). The hematoma thickness was comparable among the three groups at the initial time and after surgery. However, CSDH thickness in the TXA group decreased abruptly in a month and showed a significant difference from that in the other groups (p<0.001). There was no TXA-related adverse event. Conclusion : The adjunctive use of TXA after CSDH surgery significantly facilitated the resorption of residual CSDH and resulted in the early CSDH resolution. Adjunctive TXA may be an effective treatment option to reduce recurrence by enhancing CSDH resolution in the selective patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제30권7호
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• pp.943-946
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• 2001

We report a case of 15 year-old female patient with a ossified chronic epidural hematoma. She had had head trauma 10 weeks previously and conservative care for delayed onset epidural hematoma at other hospital. Ossification was identified about 4 weeks after head injury and then progressed rapidly. We removed the chronic epidural hematoma with thick capsule and newly formed bone. The mechanism of the ossification associated with cephalhematoma and chronic subdural hematoma is reviewed and discussed.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.43-45
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• 2022

Epidural hematoma (EDH) can sometimes be life-threatening, although small-volume EDHs can resolve spontaneously like other intracranial hematomas. However, in rare cases, EDH can transform into a chronic form instead of disappearing. In contrast to subdural hematoma, there is no agreed-upon definition or treatment of chronic EDH. A 41-year-old male patient with acute EDH in the bilateral paravertical area due to partial rupture of the sagittal sinus was operated first, and then remnant contralateral hematoma was treated conservatively. One month after surgery, he showed hemiparesis, and brain imaging revealed chronic EDH at the location of the remnant acute hematoma. We performed surgery again to treat chronic EDH through a large craniotomy. Although many cases of EDH are self-limited, clinicians must keep in mind that some cases of EDH, especially those of venous origin and arising in young people, can become chronic and require surgical treatment.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.238-242
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• 2013

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is the condition of having an abnormally low platelet count with an unknown cause. Acute subdural hematomas (ASDHs) usually develop in trauma patients and often involve a high bleeding tendency. However, ITP patients rarely have a large ASDH, and when a traditional decompressive craniectomy is performed on patients with coagulopathy, the mortality rate is higher because of the greater bleeding risk. We report the case of an ITP patient with a large ASDH who treated with a burr-hole trephination and irrigation and who was discharged without any neurological deficit.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제57권5호
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• pp.379-385
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• 2015

Chronic subdural hematomas mainly occur amongst elderly people and usually develop after minor head injuries. In younger patients, subdural collections may be related to hypertension, coagulopathies, vascular abnormalities, and substance abuse. Different techniques can be used for the surgical treatment of symptomatic chronic subdural hematomas : single or double burr-hole evacuation, with or without subdural drainage, twist-drill craniostomies and classical craniotomies. Failure of the brain to re-expand, pneumocephalus, incomplete evacuation, and recurrence of the fluid collection are common complications following these procedures. Acute subdural hematomas may also occur. Rarely reported hemorrhagic complications include subarachnoid, intracerebral, intraventricular, and remote cerebellar hemorrhages. The causes of such uncommon complications are difficult to explain and remain poorly understood. Overdrainage and intracranial hypotension, rapid brain decompression and shift of the intracranial contents, cerebrospinal fluid loss, vascular dysregulation and impairment of venous outflow are the main mechanisms discussed in the literature. In this article we report three cases of different post-operative intracranial bleeding and review the related literature.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.155-157
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• 2010

Anterior cranial fossa dural arteriovenous fistulae (DAVFs) are very rare and the bleeding rate is very high, especially in the presence of leptomeningeal draining vein and aneurysmal varix formation. A 85-year-old male patient presented with subdural hematoma (SDH). Magnetic resonance image (MRI) and transfemoral carotid angiography (TFCA) disclosed DAVF at the anterior cranial fossa with bilateral arterial feeders and leptomeningeal draining vein with varix formation. The lesion was treated by simple ligation of pial connecting vein using low frontal craniotomy. In comparison with DAVFs of the other sites, the anterior cranial fossa DAVF is difficult to manage by endovascular treatment due to not only the difficulty of transvenous access but the risk of visual impairment when using transarterial route. Surgical ligation of pial connecting vein is feasible and effective treatment.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제53권6호
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• pp.380-382
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• 2013

We report a case of fatal duret hemorrhage (DH) in a patient with acute tentorial subdural hematoma and bilateral chronic subdural hematoma along the cerebral hemispheres. Preoperative CT angiography (CTA) revealed prominent parenchymal enhancement in the ventral pontomesencephalic area. After burr-hole drainage, a large hemorrhage developed in this area. The parenchymal enhancement in the CTA may reflect the pontomensencephalic perforating vessel injury, and may be a sign of impending DH of acute transtentorial downward herniation. Previous use of aspirin and warfarin might have potentiated the process of DH and increase the extent of the bleed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제65권3호
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• pp.385-396
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• 2022

Abusive head trauma (AHT) in infants, especially acute subdural hematoma, has an extremely poor outcome. The most decisive and important finding is the appearance of a widespread low-density area on head computed tomography. This phenomenon was traditionally thought to be caused by cerebral ischemia. However, many other pathophysiological abnormalities have been found to be intricately involved. Recent studies have found that status epilepticus and hyperperfusion injures are the major causes. Another serious problem associated with AHT is cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA). Many infants are reported to visit to the hospital with CPA, and its pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated. This paper examines the background of these pathological conditions and associated factors and elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms resulting in poor outcomes in AHT. In addition to the intensity of assault on the head, the peculiar pathophysiological characteristics in infants, as well as the social background specific to child abuse, are found to be associated with poor outcome.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.171-174
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• 2001

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a form of child abuse that can cause significant head injuries, of which subdural hematoma (SDH) is the most common manifestation. We report the MRI findings of chronic SDH in three cases of SBS, involving two-, three- and eight-month-old babies. The SDH signal was mostly low on T1-weighted images and high on T2-weighted images, suggesting chronic SDH. In chronic SDH, a focal high signal on T1-weighted images was also noted, suggesting rebleeding. Contrast-enhanced MRI revealed diffuse dural enhancement.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.273-280
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• 2005

Objective : There is no acceptable indication and treatment of choice for infantile and child subdural hygroma and there are only a few reports about that in Korea. So the authors studied the clinical findings of infantile and child patients with subdural hygroma to improve the understanding and to suggest a standard treatment method. Methods : The authors retrospectively evaluated the causes, preoperative symptoms, radiological thicknesses, and postoperative results of 25patients with subdural hygroma who received surgical therapy. Results : There were 16boys and 9girls whose median age was 6months[range $2{\sim}120months$]. The main clinical manifestations were seizures, increased intracranial pressure, macrocrania and alteration of consciousness. Radiological thicknesses of the subdural hygroma varied from 7mm to 42mm and postoperative changes of thickness[y] could be expressed with the factor of month[x]: $y\;=\;-1.32\;{\times}\;+11.8$ in subdural drainage, and $y\;=\;-1.52\;{\times}\;+14.9$ in subduroperitoneal shunts. Of the 25patients, 2 [50%] were successfully treated by aspiration, 13 [59%] by subdural drainage, and 9 [69%] by subduroperitoneal shunt. Conclusion : It is suggested that the diagnosis and treatment of subdural hygroma in infants and children should be carefully addressed because of its high prevalence in children, and especially in infants. It is also suggested that the subdural drainage could be primary initial treatment method because it is simpler than a shunt, and since our data show that there is no statistical difference in postoperative recovery duration between the two operative methods.