Space occupying contusions of cerebral lobes after closed brain injury: considerations about 51 cases

Fifty one cases of space occupying contusions of the brain have been treated between 1967 and 1974. These represented 2.4% of all head injuries. Forty four were surgically treated and only clinically. The total mortality was 50.9% being 91.4% in patients above 50 years of age and 41% in patients below 50. In 66.6% of patients the lesions were localized in the temporal lobes, and two patients had localized cerebellar contusions. Surgery was performed in 44 patients. There were 13 craniectomies and 31 craniotomies. The operative mortality was 54.5%. Mortality was 65.2% in patients operated on within 24 hours of injury, and 12.5% in those operated on more than 72 hours after trauma. Twenty five patients (20 treated surgically and 5 managed clinically) were examined one year after injury. Eighty four percent were in either good or excellent condition.