Signs and Symptoms
| Hematoma type | Epidural | Subdural |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Between the skull and the dura | Between the dura and the arachnoid |
| Involved vessel | Temperoparietal locus (most likely) - Middle meningeal artery Frontal locus - anterior ethmoidal artery Occipital locus - transverse or sigmoid sinuses Vertex locus - superior sagittal sinus |
Bridging veins |
| Symptoms | Lucid interval followed by unconsciousness | Gradually increasing headache and confusion |
| CT appearance | Biconvex lens | Crescent-shaped |
Symptoms of subdural hemorrhage have a slower onset than those of epidural hemorrhages because the lower pressure veins bleed more slowly than arteries. Therefore, signs and symptoms may show up in minutes, if not immediately but can be delayed as much as 2 weeks. If the bleeds are large enough to put pressure on the brain, signs of increased ICP or damage to part of the brain will be present.
Other signs and symptoms of subdural hematoma can include any combination of the following:
- A history of recent head injury
- Loss of consciousness or fluctuating levels of consciousness
- Irritability
- Seizures
- Pain
- Numbness
- Headache (either constant or fluctuating)
- Dizziness
- Disorientation
- Amnesia
- Weakness or lethargy
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Personality changes
- Inability to speak or slurred speech
- Ataxia, or difficulty walking
- Altered breathing patterns
- Hearing loss or hearing ringing (tinnitus)
- Blurred Vision
- Deviated gaze, or abnormal movement of the eyes.
Read more about this topic: Subdural Hematoma
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