[Clinical study on air in epidural hematomas]

Air in epidural hematoma has previously been reported by some authors. With the advent of CT scan, the presence of air in epidural hematomas is not uncommon findings. In our series, 27 of 78 (34.6%) cases with acute epidural hematoma had air bubbles in epidural hematoma on CT scan. Acute epidural hematoma was located in the temporal in 18, frontal in 3, occipital in 2, parietal in one and posterior fossa in 3 cases. The air entrance was thought to be mastoid air cells in 13, open fracture in 5, frontal sinus in 3, sphenoid sinus in 3, and unknown in 3 cases. No patients in our series developed meningeal infection or tension pneumocephalus. There was no statistical difference of overall outcome or risk of increase in size of hematoma between acute epidural hematoma with and without air.