Traumatic extradural haematomas in children: experience with 62 cases

Sixty-two children with traumatic extradural haematomas are considered According to the clinical history presented--often atypical--and to the grade of neurological impairment, patients have been divided into different clinical groups. Nearly 50% of patients sustained a minor injury, and 26% did not lose consciousness after trauma. Twenty-four per cent of patients did not show fractures on skull X-rays. Atypical location of the haematoma was noted in 22 cases, mainly in the anterior fossa (19 cases). Sixty patients were operated on, while two patients were conservatively treated, owing to the limited size of the haematomas and to the absence of neurological deficits. Associated brain lesions were discovered at surgery in 40% of cases. The overall mortality rate has been 17%, the operative mortality rate 14%. The morbidity rate has been 6%, with 3% of patients presenting severe disability. Morbidity and mortality have been shown to be affected by age--with better prognosis in patients under 10 years of age, by the clinical history presented, by the preoperative conditions, and, mainly, by the presence of associated brain lesions. As regards location, frontal haematomas have shown a better prognosis and a slower course than convexity haematomas. Finally, prognosis of extradural haematomas in children has improved to some extent in the last years with the advent of the CT scan, possibly due to speed and accuracy of diagnosis.