Traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage: a 10-year case study and review

Fourteen cases of traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage (TSAH) from the years 1985-1995 are described. Two of these cases, one paediatric and one involving controlled substances, are considered separately. All 14 cases are then discussed together with the current literature with respect to: typical subject, the circumstances and aetiology of injury, time interval between injury and collapse; time of survival, the role of alcohol, the site of arterial rupture, and the methods recommended by other authors for the location of such an injury. We conclude that TSAH is a poorly understood cause of sudden death; fuller research is needed to clarify aetiology.