Spinal hematomas are rarely associated with dengue syndrome and usually occur at the time of active dengue fever. Late presentation after recovery from dengue fever, intradural hematoma, presentation ...as a multiloculated cystic lesion with longitudinal extensive myelitis, and recurrence after surgery are rarely or not described. Due to the peculiar association of all these findings, we report this case to provide insight into the existence of such a rare presentation.
A 79-year-old-male developed sudden-onset paraparesis after 1 week of recovery from dengue fever. The blood counts were normal. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spine was suggestive of intradural hematoma. The patient underwent emergency decompression and drainage of hematoma with recovery in the neurologic status over the next few weeks. He presented to our emergency department after 5 weeks of the first surgery with deterioration in the neurologic status to complete paraplegia. Repeat magnetic resonance imaging showed a posterior epidural collection bulging anteriorly, causing cord compression. The patient was reoperated on by decompression. There was no neurologic recovery. The patient was managed with multidisciplinary rehabilitation, and he was independent in most of the activities at the time of discharge.
Spinal hematoma should be kept in mind in patients who present with neurologic complications after dengue fever. It can have an atypical radiologic presentation and may present with recurrent hemorrhage after surgery. Attention should also be given to delayed presentation of neurologic complications, which may develop even after weeks of recovery from dengue fever.
Chronic subdural hematoma is a common neurologic disorder that is especially prevalent among older people. The effect of dexamethasone on outcomes in patients with chronic subdural hematoma has not ...been well studied.
We conducted a multicenter, randomized trial in the United Kingdom that enrolled adult patients with symptomatic chronic subdural hematoma. The patients were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a 2-week tapering course of oral dexamethasone, starting at 8 mg twice daily, or placebo. The decision to surgically evacuate the hematoma was made by the treating clinician. The primary outcome was a score of 0 to 3, representing a favorable outcome, on the modified Rankin scale at 6 months after randomization; scores range from 0 (no symptoms) to 6 (death).
From August 2015 through November 2019, a total of 748 patients were included in the trial after randomization - 375 were assigned to the dexamethasone group and 373 to the placebo group. The mean age of the patients was 74 years, and 94% underwent surgery to evacuate their hematomas during the index admission; 60% in both groups had a score of 1 to 3 on the modified Rankin scale at admission. In a modified intention-to-treat analysis that excluded the patients who withdrew consent for participation in the trial or who were lost to follow-up, leaving a total of 680 patients, a favorable outcome was reported in 286 of 341 patients (83.9%) in the dexamethasone group and in 306 of 339 patients (90.3%) in the placebo group (difference, -6.4 percentage points 95% confidence interval, -11.4 to -1.4 in favor of the placebo group; P = 0.01). Among the patients with available data, repeat surgery for recurrence of the hematoma was performed in 6 of 349 patients (1.7%) in the dexamethasone group and in 25 of 350 patients (7.1%) in the placebo group. More adverse events occurred in the dexamethasone group than in the placebo group.
Among adults with symptomatic chronic subdural hematoma, most of whom had undergone surgery to remove their hematomas during the index admission, treatment with dexamethasone resulted in fewer favorable outcomes and more adverse events than placebo at 6 months, but fewer repeat operations were performed in the dexamethasone group. (Funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme; Dex-CSDH ISRCTN number, ISRCTN80782810.).
The Brain Trauma Foundation has published guidelines on the surgical management of traumatic subdural hematoma (SDH). However, no data exist on the proportion of patients with SDH that can be ...selected for conservative management and what is the outcome of these patients. The goals of this study were as follows: 1) to establish what proportion of patients are initially treated conservatively; 2) to determine what proportion of patients will deteriorate and require surgical evacuation; and 3) to identify risk factors associated with deterioration and delayed surgery.
All cases of acute traumatic SDH (869 when inclusion criteria were met) presenting over a 4-year period were reviewed. For all conservatively treated SDH, the proportion of delayed surgical intervention and the Glasgow Outcome Scale score were taken as outcome measures. Multiple factors were compared between patients who required delayed surgery and patients without surgery.
Of the 869 patients with acute traumatic SDH, 646 (74.3%) were initially treated conservatively. A good outcome was achieved in 76.7% of the patients. Only 6.5% eventually required delayed surgery, and the median delay for surgery was 9.5 days. Factors associated with deterioration were as follows: 1) thicker SDH (p<0.001); 2) greater midline shift (p<0.001); 3) location at the convexity (p=0.001); 4) alcohol abuse (p=0.0260); and 5) history of falls (p=0.018). There was no significant difference in regard to age, sex, Glasgow Coma Scale score, Injury Severity Score, abnormal coagulation, use of blood thinners, and presence of cerebral atrophy or white matter disease.
The majority of patients with SDH are treated conservatively. Of those, only 6.5% later required surgery, for raised intracranial pressure or SDH progression. Patients at risk can be identified and followed more carefully.
Spinal subdural hematoma (SSDH), which can cause lower back pain, leg pain, and leg weakness, is rare and will usually be associated with a bleeding tendency, trauma, spinal vascular malformation, ...intraspinal tumor, or iatrogenic invasion. Only a few cases of SSDH after intracranial chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) have been reported. We report a case of lumbar SSDH in the absence of predisposing factors after reoperation for recurrent intracranial CSDH, which improved with conservative treatment.
Approximately 1 month after falling, a 63-year-old woman was experiencing left hemiparesis and impaired orientation that was diagnosed as right intracranial CSDH using computed tomography. Surgical treatment of the CSDH led to immediate improvement of her symptoms. On postoperative day 29, the right CSDH had recurred with left hemiparesis, and successful reoperation relieved the symptoms within a few hours postoperatively. However, 1 day after the second operation, very small acute subdural hematomas in regions along the left tentorium cerebelli and left falx cerebri were found on computed tomography. On day 31, she complained of sitting-induced bilateral radiating lower limb pain. Magnetic resonance imaging on day 34 showed an acute SSDH at the L4-L5 level and a sacral perineural cyst filled with hematoma, although her radiating pain was showing improvement. She was treated conservatively and was discharged without symptoms on day 44.
Although SSDH is rare, it is important for neurosurgeons and physicians to consider the possibility of a SSDH when lower limb pain or paresis occurs after procedures that will result in rapid intracranial pressure alterations such as drainage of an intracranial CSDH.
To identify radiological predictors of contralateral extradural haematoma (CEDH) in patients undergoing evacuation of acute subdural haematoma (ASDH).
Retrospective case-control study.
Patients ...requiring evacuation of traumatic ASDH via craniotomy/craniectomy with contralateral skull fracture were analysed in two groups: those who developed CEDH postoperatively and those who did not.
Retrospective analysis of severe traumatic brain injury admissions over 24 months (2017-2019) at a major trauma centre. Pre- and post-operative CT scans were reviewed by a Consultant Neuroradiologist for initial fracture haematoma (FH) and specific contralateral skull fracture features (CLFF) comprising: complex petrous fracture, suture diastasis and fractures involving foramen spinosum or middle meningeal groove (MMG).
35 patients had ASDH evacuation (age: 11-74); 7 with craniotomy, 28 with craniectomy. 9/35 developed CEDH of whom 7 underwent bilateral craniotomy/craniectomy. 8/9 with CEDH had FH, 6/26 of those without CEDH had FH. All patients with CEDH had CLFF. 6/9 had >1 CLFF. CLFF was identified in 9/26 patients without CEDH and only 3/26 non-CEDH had >1 CLFF. Analysis using univariate logistic regression identified statistically significant factors for the development of CEDH which were: younger age, FH on initial CT, increasing number of CLFF and MMG involvement alone. After multivariate analysis, only younger age and FH were significant.
FH and CLFF on CT enable prediction of CEDH in patients undergoing evacuation of traumatic ASDH. These features raise a high index of suspicion for this complication and may expedite investigation and management for CEDH.
Objective
To obtain precise estimates of age, haematoma volume, secondary haematoma expansion (HE) and mortality for patients with intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) taking oral anticoagulants Vitamin K ...antagonists (VKA-ICH) or non-Vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC-ICH) and those not taking oral anticoagulants (non-OAC ICH) at ICH symptom onset.
Methods
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing VKA-ICH or NOAC-ICH or both with non-OAC ICH. Primary outcomes were haematoma volume (in ml), HE, and mortality (in-hospital and 3-month). We calculated odds ratios (ORs) using the Mantel–Haenszel random-effects method and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) and determined the mean ICH volume difference.
Results
We identified 19 studies including data from 16,546 patients with VKA-ICH and 128,561 patients with non-OAC ICH. Only 2 studies reported data on 4943 patients with NOAC-ICH. Patients with VKA-ICH were significantly older than patients with non-OAC ICH (mean age difference: 5.55 years, 95%CI 4.03–7.07,
p
< 0.0001,
I
2
= 92%,
p
< 0.001). Haematoma volume was significantly larger in VKA-ICH with a mean difference of 9.66 ml (95%CI 6.24–13.07 ml,
p
< 0.00001;
I
2
= 42%,
p
= 0.05). HE occurred significantly more often in VKA-ICH (OR 2.96, 95%CI 1.74–4.97,
p
< 0.00001;
I
2
= 65%). VKA-ICH was associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality (VKA-ICH: 32.8% vs. non-OAC ICH: 22.4%; OR 1.83, 95%CI 1.61–2.07,
p
< 0.00001,
I
2
= 20%,
p
= 0.27) and 3-month mortality (VKA-ICH: 47.1% vs. non-OAC ICH: 25.5%; OR 2.24, 95%CI 1.52–3.31,
p
< 0.00001,
I
2
= 71%,
p
= 0.001). We did not find sufficient data for a meta-analysis comparing NOAC-ICH and non-OAC-ICH.
Conclusion
This meta-analysis confirms, refines and expands findings from prior studies. We provide precise estimates of key prognostic factors and outcomes for VKA-ICH, which has larger haematoma volume, increased rate of HE and higher mortality compared to non-OAC ICH. There are insufficient data on NOACs.
Objetivo: analisar as complicações vasculares de pacientes submetidos a procedimentos cardiológicos endovasculares em laboratório de hemodinâmica de três centros de referência. Método: estudo de ...coorte multicêntrico, em três instituições de referência, sendo a amostra constituída de 2.696 pacientes, incluindo pacientes adultos que realizaram procedimento percutâneo cardiológico em caráter eletivo ou urgente. Foram considerados como desfechos a presença de complicações vasculares, como hematoma no local da punção arterial, sangramento maior e menor e correção cirúrgica para hemorragia retroperitoneal, pseudoaneurisma ou formação de fístula arteriovenosa. Resultados: dos 2.696 pacientes, 237 (8,8%) apresentaram algum tipo de complicação vascular no sítio de punção arterial. O número total de complicações vasculares foi 264: hematoma menor <10 cm (n=135), sangramento estável (n=86), hematoma maior ≥10 cm (n=32) e sangramento instável (n=11). Não ocorreu evento de hematoma retroperitoneal, pseudoaneurisma ou fístula arteriovenosa. Majoritariamente, tanto as complicações maiores como as menores ocorreram nas primeiras seis horas após o procedimento. Conclusão: os resultados das complicações no cenário atual da cardiologia intervencionista indicam que a incidência dessas ocorre predominantemente nas primeiras seis horas após os procedimentos, considerando a avaliação até 48 horas. Medidas preventivas imediatas aos procedimentos devem ser planejadas e implementadas pela equipe.
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