Geriatric traumatic acute subdural haematomas: A retrospective study

Abstract

Acute subdural haematomas (ASDH) are severe traumatic brain injuries. Older patients have a higher mortality rate.We retrospectively reviewed 19 geriatric patients with ASDH to demonstrate the outcome of the management of ASDH and to find out which parameters are significant in predicting the outcome. Computer records and patient files of 19 geriatric patients with traumatic ASDH who underwent surgical intervention in Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine at Department of Neurosurgery between January 2006-December 2009 were reviewed.The diagnosis was based on computerized tomography (CT) findings.Examined criteria were age, sex, mechanism of the trauma, Glasgow Coma Score (GCS)on admission, presence of a midline shift and contusio cerebri, thickness of the haematoma, accompanying chronic diseases, anticoagulant therapy, type of surgery and neurological examination on discharge. ASDH of the posterior fossa, subacute-chronic subdural haematomas, patients with serious extracranial injuries and aged below 65 were excluded. A GCS of ? 8 on initial presentation, pupillary non reactivity, presence of a midline shift and contusio cerebri was found to be significantly associated with increased mortality and a poor patient outcome. Effect of sex,anticoagulant therapy and type of surgery couldn't have been found to be determinant on prognosis. © 2009 OMU All rights reserved.