A 5-year-old male suffered a head injury after falling from a height of 2 meters. Upon admission, five hours after the accident, he had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 15. Brain computed tomography (CT) revealed an epidural hematoma (EDH) in the right temporoparietal area and a subdural hematoma (SDH) in the left temporal area (), as well as a skull fracture in both temporal bones. Emergency right craniotomy was performed and the EDH was evacuated. The underlying dura was loose and depressed. Intraoperative TCS applied to the right craniectomy site revealed no expansion of the left side hematoma (). The damaged meningeal artery was coagulated, dural tacking sutures were placed to prevent EDH re-accumulation, and the bone flap was repositioned.\nAfter confirming no change in the contralateral hematoma volume by postoperative brain CT immediately after surgery, the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit. After arousal, his GCS score had not changed. The patient was discharged on hospital day 13 with no definite neurological deficit.
We report a 19-year-old Caucasian male of Iranian Nationality with acute right-sided traumatic SDH (due to car accident) with presenting Glasgow Coma Scale score of 6/15 and CT evidence of severe brain swelling and associated midline shift and contralateral small fractural EDH in the temporoparietal region (). The patient was anisocoric (right sided mydriasis) at presentation. He underwent an emergent decompressive craniectomy and evacuation of the SDH. During surgery, the brain showed considerable swelling after hematoma evacuation and coagulation of the ruptured bridging vein causative of hematoma. Therefore, an augmentation duraplasty using free pericranial flap was performed. Regarding severe brain swelling during operation, a possible intracranial pathology amenable to surgery was suspected and immediate post-operative CT scan revealed expansion of the contralateral EDH. Due to mass effect of EDH, a second surgery was offered. The patient’s family declined second surgery for EDH evacuation. The patient was transferred to intensive care undergoing ICP monitoring. Despite all medical measures such as mannitol, high dose barbiturate therapy, and mild hypothermia, the patient's ICP remained high (about 25 mmHg). CPP was around 65 mmHg. Serial CT scans were performed the next days, showing right PCA territory infarct as well as expansion and spontaneous resolution of the EDH. The ICP remained relatively high (about 20 mmHg) in the following days. The patient was discharged 3 months after admission in persistent vegetative state.