1. Disseminated intravascular coagulation after isolated mild head injury
- Author
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Simon Cudlip, Hari Chandran, Shabin Man Joshi, Erlick A. C. Pereira, Alexander L. Green, and David Shlugman
- Subjects
Adult ,Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial ,Male ,Emergency Medical Services ,medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Subdural haematoma ,Platelet Transfusion ,Subdural Space ,Violence ,Thromboplastin ,Plasma ,Acute disseminated intravascular coagulation ,Head Injuries, Closed ,medicine ,Coagulopathy ,Hematoma, Subdural, Acute ,Humans ,Craniotomy ,Neuroradiology ,Disseminated intravascular coagulation ,business.industry ,Head injury ,Brain ,Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ,Decompression, Surgical ,medicine.disease ,Thrombocytopenia ,Surgery ,Early Diagnosis ,Treatment Outcome ,Anesthesia ,Partial Thromboplastin Time ,Neurology (clinical) ,Neurosurgery ,Tomography, X-Ray Computed ,business - Abstract
A rare case is described of acute disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) following isolated mild head injury with acute subdural haematoma, coagulopathy onset preceding craniotomy. Surgical treatment of the cause followed by swift diagnosis and treatment soon after surgery enabled a good outcome. Post-operative recollection of subdural and extadural blood was treated by further surgery. DIC following isolated mild head injury without axonal damage is rare, but fatal if missed. Thrombocytopaenia in head injured patients should be investigated expediently. Post-operative interim imaging (if not standard practice) should also be considered to exclude haemorrhagic recollection requiring further surgery.
- Published
- 2009
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