Therapy for epidural hematoma in children

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of epidural hematoma in children. Methods A total of 120 children with epidural hematomas within recent three years were reviewed. Results The main cause of injury in infants and preschool children was falling or sliping, but traffic accident was the predominant cause in children over seven years old. About 65.8% children were complicated by skull fractures, with average Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13.6. Except for acute hematoma treated with emergency surgical operation, the other hematoma was rechecked with CT scan at days 1 and 3 or so after it was found for the first time. Patients receiving operation accounted for 57.5% and those with hematoma due to diploe bleeding for 43.9%. Conclusions The primary cerebral injury is not severe relatively in children with epidural hematoma, in which the incidence of skull fracture is lower than that in adults. The main cause for hematoma formation is diploe bleeding. Sound prognosis can be obtained through recheck of CT scan and suitable therapy.