Intracranial Hemorrhages

Question 1

What artery is ruptured for an Epidural Hematoma? What often causes a Epidural Hematoma?

Answer 1

The middle Meningeal artery, and a skull fracture generally causes it.

Question 2

What kind of image will we see in a CT scan of an epidural hematoma?

Answer 2

A lens shaped hematoma.

Question 3

Describe the general pathology of epidural hematoma

Answer 3

A fracture of the skull displaces the tight connection between the skull and the dura and damages the middle meningeal artery, causing it to bleed into the space in between the dura and the skull. This will create a seperation between the dura and the skull and fill it with blood.

Question 4

What is the “talk and die” association with epidural hematoma?

Answer 4

Patient is initially asymptomatic, however the hematoma will expand and become larger and larger and eventually herniate or rupture, and at this point it can become lethal and the patient can die.

Question 5

What part of the skull needs to fracture to cause an epidural hematoma?

Answer 5

The temporal bone.

Question 6

What is the “subdural hematoma” and what causes it?

Answer 6

It is a rupture of the bridging veins in the subarachnoid space (between the dura and the pia).