Intracranial Hematomas

Defined as an accumulation of blood within the brain or between the brain and skull.  They form when a head injury causes blood to accumulate in the brain or between the brain and the skull. 

Here are the different types of hematomas:

• Epidural – a blood clot outside of the brain but under the skull
  
  
• Subdural – located between the brain and the dura
  
  
• Intracerebral – a ruptured blood vessel in the brain that causes bleeding
  
  
• Subarachnoid Hemorrhage – bleeding under the arachnoid layer
  
  
• Intraventricular Hemorrhage – bleeding into ventricles of the brain

Diagnosing intracranial hematoma can be difficult because sometimes people with head injury can seem fine.  And sometimes they are if the hematoma is small and produces no signs or symptoms.  However, symptoms can appear or worsen days or even weeks after the injury, which is why following a head injury the person should be watched for neurological changes, to have intracranial pressure monitored, and undergo repeated head CT scans. Sometimes surgery is required to drain the blood.