[Surgical treatment of acute head injuries, especially epidural hematomas. Current and future practice in Norway]

A survey among the 13 general county hospitals and the five regional neurosurgical units in Norway showed that 263 patients were operated on for acute head injuries in 1993. More than 80% of these operations took place in a neurosurgical unit, and most county hospitals had only 1-2 such surgical procedures each year. Most county hospitals also limited their surgical activities to extradural conditions. Data from 68 patients operated on for epidural haematomas in our neurosurgical department were therefore analysed. The outcome of these operations was good in 83.8%, and only 5.9% showed a poor result. One patient died. It is concluded that these good results probably reflect the standard of handling, diagnostic work and transport of the patient prior to surgery, rather than the surgery itself. It seems unreasonable to continue the infrequent practice of treating these conditions surgically in local hospitals.