EPIDURAL ENCEPHALIC HEMATOMA

An epidural hematoma is a collection of blood between the inner part of the skull bone and the outer part of the dura mater. It is a rare but not exceptional complication of cranial trauma. HED constitutes an extreme neurosurgical emergency, as the brain is eventually compressed by the accumulation of blood. This compression eventually leads to temporal or cerebellar involvement, with consequent compression of the brain stem, which can progress to death. Treatment is purely surgical, with the aim of rapid cerebral decompression.