Find out if neurological symptoms at time of head trauma that soon vanish are predictive of chronic subdural hematoma even with normal CT.
Is a person more likely to develop a chronic subdural hematoma if, at the time of getting hit in the head, they have neurological symptoms, even if the symptoms dissipate soon after?
“Some patients strike their head and do not remember the fall, so it is hard to obtain a history in those patients,” begins John M. Abrahams, MD, chief of neurosurgery at Northern Westchester Hospital, and founder of the Westchester Neuroscience Research Foundation which is studying the genomic profile of malignant brain tumors.
“The stronger the ‘hit,’ the greater the chance of developing a chronic subdural hematoma,” he continues.
“Another predisposing factor is the use of blood thinners.
“Some patients are on these medications for other medical conditions and each has an increased risk for brain bleeding with general use.
“The symptoms can be helpful in terms of predictive value, but not every mild-to-moderate concussion patient does not develop a hemorrhage.”
