Retinodural haemorrhage of infancy, abusive head trauma, shaken baby syndrome: The continuing quest for evidence.

The shaken baby syndrome was originally proposed in the 1970s without any formal scientific basis. Once data generated by scientific research was available, the hypothesis became controversial. There developed essentially two sides in the debate. One side claimed that the clinical triad of subdural haemorrhage, retinal haemorrhage, and encephalopathy, or its components, is evidence that an infant has been shaken. The other side stated this is not a scientifically valid proposal and that alternative causes, such as low falls and natural diseases, should be considered. The controversy continues, but the contours have shifted. During the last 15 years, research has shown that the triad is not sufficient to infer shaking or abuse and the shaking hypothesis does not meet the standards of evidence-based medicine. This raises the issue of whether it is fit for either clinical practice or for the courtroom; evidence presented to the courts must be unassailable. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: There is insufficient scientific evidence to assume that an infant with the triad of subdural haemorrhage (SDH), retinal haemorrhage, and encephalopathy must have been shaken. Biomechanical and animal studies have failed to support the hypothesis that shaking can cause SDH and retinal haemorrhage. Patterns of retinal haemorrhage cannot distinguish abuse. Retinal haemorrhages are commonly associated with extracerebral fluid collections (including SDH) but not with shaking. Infants can develop SDH, retinal haemorrhage, and encephalopathy from natural diseases and falls as low as 1 foot. The shaking hypothesis and the literature on which it depends do not meet the standards of evidence-based medicine.

Nuance and profound impact: Evaluating the effects of the unmet full coma scale in patients with mild subdural hemorrhage.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with subdural hemorrhage (SDH) and a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13-15 are typically categorized as having mild traumatic brain injury. We hypothesize that patients without a maximum GCS score - specifically, patients with GCS scores of 13 and 14 - may exhibit poorer neurological outcomes. METHOD: Between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020, SDH patients with GCS scores ranging from 13 to 15 were retrospectively studied. We compared outcomes between patients with a maximum GCS score of 15 and those with scores of either 13 or 14. Independent factors associated with neurological deterioration among patients with a GCS score of 15 were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression (MLR) analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, 470 patients with SDH and GCS scores between 13 and 15 were examined. Compared to patients with a maximum GCS score (N = 375), those in the GCS 13-14 group (N = 95) showed significantly higher rates of neurological deterioration (33.7% vs. 10.4%, p value <0.001) and neurosurgical interventions (26.3% vs. 16.3%, p value <0.024). Moreover, the GCS 13-14 group had a significantly poorer prognosis than patients with a GCS score of 15 [mortality rate: 7.4% vs. 2.4%, p value <0.017; rate of impaired consciousness at discharge: 21.1% vs. 4.0%, p value <0.001; and rate of neurological disability at discharge: 29.5% vs. 6.9%, p value <0.001]. The MLR analysis revealed that SDH thickness (odds ratio = 1.127, p value = 0.006) was an independent risk factor for neurological disability at discharge in patients with a GCS score of 15. CONCLUSION: Among SDH patients with mild TBI, those with GCS scores of 13-14 exhibited poorer neurological outcomes than those with a maximum GCS score. The thickness of the SDH is positively associated with neurological disability in SDH patients with a maximum GCS score.

Birth-related subdural hemorrhage in asymptomatic neonates: evolution over time and differentiation from traumatic subdural hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial birth-related subdural hemorrhage frequently occurs in asymptomatic newborns and has no adverse long-term sequelae. It is medically and medicolegally important to differentiate birth-related subdural hemorrhage from other pathological causes of intracranial hemorrhage. There is limited literature available on the incidence of birth-related subdural hemorrhage, its imaging features, and evolution over time, mainly because asymptomatic infants do not routinely undergo cranial MRI. OBJECTIVE: To establish the incidence and distribution of birth-related subdural hemorrhage and evaluate their association with various modes of delivery, identify associated features, and evaluate the sequential evolution of signal changes of the birth-related hemorrhages on MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 200 healthy term neonates and young infants were included in this retrospective review study. All infants underwent MRI of the brain and cervical spine at postnatal age of 0-2 months with acquisition of a 3D T1-weighted (T1W), 3D or 2D T2-weighted (T2W), and axial diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences. The scans were evaluated for the presence and distribution of subdural hemorrhages, other intracranial hemorrhages, and associated injuries. Prevalence of intracranial hemorrhage in various modes of delivery was analyzed. Relationship between the signal intensities of the bleeds on T1W, T2W, and DWI scans and the age of the infants was analyzed. Appropriate tests were applied to test for statistical significance of the data. RESULTS: Out of 200 neonates, 66 (33%) had detectable intracranial hemorrhage on MRI with an age range of 11-25 days, including 31 (47%) males and 35 (53%) females. All of them had subdural hemorrhages, 54 (81.8%) of which were in the posterior fossa. Additional parenchymal hemorrhages were present in a few, but no subarachnoid hemorrhages, cervical spinal canal hemorrhages, cortical bridging vein injury, or cervical spinal ligamentous injury were identified within the limitations of the study. No detectable intracranial hemorrhage was found in subjects above 25 days of age. Overall incidence of subdural hemorrhage by mode of delivery was 8/68 (11.8%) in babies born by cesarean section and 58/132 (43.9%) in babies born by vaginal delivery. Among the vaginal deliveries, the highest incidence was observed in assisted vaginal delivery (19/30, 63.3%). Subjects with birth-related subdural hemorrhage were categorized into three age groups: <13 days, 13-21 days, and >21 days. All detected hemorrhages were T1W hyperintense. In the <13 days group, all bleeds were T2W hypointense. In the 13-21 days group, 73.1% were T2W hypointense, while 26.9% were T2W mixed. All bleeds in the >21 days group were T2W hypointense. All DWI hyperintense bleeds were found in the 13-21 days group. CONCLUSION: Birth-related subdural hemorrhage occurs in over a third of normal deliveries and has a characteristic distribution, predominantly in the posterior fossa. Associated cervical spinal subdural hemorrhages, cervical spinal ligamentous injury, or cortical bridging vein injury, which are concerning for traumatic etiology, were not identified. Birth-related subdural hemorrhages follow a characteristic pattern of signal changes on MRI. Although not completely reliable, this can help in differentiating them from traumatic intracranial hemorrhages which usually occur postnatally. No birth-related subdural hemorrhages were seen after 25 days of age in our cohort.

Aneurysmal Subdural Hematoma: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Aneurysmal subdural hematoma (aSDH) is a rare complication of aneurysm rupture, affecting between 0.5 and 7.9% of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The clinical presentation, course, and outcomes of these patients are largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to systematically review the literature to evaluate the demographics, clinical presentation, aneurysm location, treatment options, and outcomes of patients with aSDH with and without aSAH. METHODS: In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, we conducted a systematic review of three databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar). From identified reports, we extracted data on patients' demographics, clinical presentation, imaging findings, surgical interventions, and clinical outcomes. We compared clinical outcomes, need for surgical treatment, and aneurysm location between patients with aSDH with and without concurrent aSAH using χ2 and Fisher's exact tests. We used simple and multivariable logistic regression models to further examine the association between the presence of aSAH and surgical treatment with clinical outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 112 articles with a total of 270 patients (70% women, mean age 52.8 [± 15.5] years). The most common aneurysm locations were the middle cerebral artery, followed by the posterior communicating artery, and the internal carotid artery. Patients with isolated aSDH fully recovered more frequently than those with concomitant aSAH (38% vs. 6%). The presence of aSAH increased the odds of unfavorable outcome (odds ratio [OR] 2.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34-5.37). Surgical treatment was inversely associated with unfavorable outcome in the univariable (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.28-0.84) but not in the multivariable analysis (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.35-1.66). CONCLUSION: aSDH occurs infrequently. Simultaneous presence of both aSDH and aSAH from an aneurysmal source is associated with poor outcomes. Surgical treatment is associated with lower rates of unfavorable outcomes including death and severe disability.

Updates on the diagnosis and management of subdural hematoma.

ABSTRACT: Intracranial hemorrhage is a potentially life-threatening condition categorized into four main groups by the location of bleeding: epidural, subdural, subarachnoid, and intraparenchymal. Subdural hematoma (SDH) is increasingly common as the population of older adults increases. Clinicians must recognize the typical presentations and order diagnostic imaging studies to make a timely diagnosis and referral to neurosurgery for definitive treatment. Understanding the pathophysiology and risk factors for chronic or expanding SDH informs decision-making in managing anticoagulants. Emerging treatments offer potential alternatives to the traditional evacuation of SDH by craniotomy, which remains the standard of care for most symptomatic patients.

Factors Associated with Nontraumatic Spontaneous Subdural Hematomas in Pediatric Patients.

OBJECTIVE: In our study, we aimed to summarize the etiology of subdural hematoma that was not traumatic and required operation in pediatric patients. The subdural hematoma characteristics, possible etiologies, and treatment, as well as the patient outcomes, were analyzed. METHODS: A retrospective examination was made of pediatric patients with subdural hematoma who were operated on at Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital. Patients with a history of trauma were excluded. Data on patient sex, age, bleeding location, type of hematoma based on computed tomography imaging, surgical treatment, presenting symptoms, presence of comorbidities, Glasgow Coma Scale, thrombocyte counts, and international normalized ratio values were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 19 patients included in the study, 4 were female and 15 were male. Their ages ranged between 0 and 15 (mean = 5.84) years. In 57.8% of the patients, comorbidities, including acute myeloid leukemia, a history of shunt operation, epilepsy, mucopolysaccharidosis, known subdural effusion, autism, coagulopathy, ventricular septal defect/tetralogy of Fallot, cerebrospinal fluid leakage after baclofen pump administration, Marfan's syndrome, and late neonatal sepsis were present, while 21% had arachnoid cysts and 21% had no reported comorbidities. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that, in pediatric patients with subdural hematoma with an amount of bleeding requiring surgical management, any underlying comorbidities should be investigated regardless of the presence of a history of trauma. While investigating systemic diseases, special attention should be paid to the presence of arachnoid cysts or disruption in cerebrospinal fluid dynamics along with a history of hematologic diseases.

Subdural haematoma in the elderly: management and outcomes of a UK Major Trauma Centre.

BACKGROUND: An estimated 40% of all traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs in ≥70-year-olds with a high prevalence of traumatic subdural haematoma (tSDH). It is anticipated that an expanding elderly population will lead to a proportional increase in the incidence of patients with tSDH presenting to UK trauma centres, but the long-term clinical outcomes and factors influencing functional outcomes in this patient group remain poorly understood. AIM: To examine the management and clinical outcomes for elderly (≥70 years) patients diagnosed with tSDH. METHODS: Patient data for this single-centre, retrospective cohort study were analysed from a Major Trauma Centre (MTC) electronic patient records between January 2013 and December 2019. RESULTS: Two hundred and eighty patients were included, 43% aged 70-79, 42% aged 80-89 and 15% >90. In total, 37% underwent a surgical intervention. The 6-month survival in the severe, moderate, and mild TBI groups was 14%, 43%, and 67%, respectively. The 6-month survival in the surgical group was 58%, vs. 60% in the conservatively managed group. Surgical intervention did not significantly impact Extended Glasgow Coma Score (GOS-E) at 6 months, regardless of injury severity. Advanced age (p = 0.04), mixed intracranial injuries (p < 0.0001), craniotomies (p = 0.03), and poor premorbid performance status (p = 0.02) were associated with worse survival and functional outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that increasing age, increasing severity of TBI and poorer premorbid performance status were associated with significantly poorer 6-month survival and functional outcomes in elderly patients with tSDH. Burr hole evacuation was associated with better functional outcomes compared to craniotomy, but overall, there was no significant difference in the outcomes of the surgical and non-surgical groups. We identified strong risk factors for death and poor functional outcomes at 6-months which are important to consider when counselling patients and families about the long-term prognosis of elderly patients with tSDH and can help guide clinical decision-making.

A case with a postoperative rapidly calcified subdural hematoma.

We report a rare case of a rapidly calcified subdural hematoma (SDH) occurring 15 days after craniotomy in an adolescent. It suggests that calcification of a SDH may occur not only in the chronic stage but also in the subacute stage and may appear in subdural hematomas (SDHs) after craniotomy.

Spontaneous spinal subarachnoid haemorrhage and subdural haematoma upon customary bowing: a case report.

Spinal subarachnoid haemorrhage is a rare clinical condition, and a spinal subarachnoid haemorrhage associated with subdural haematoma is extremely infrequent. Iatrogenic causes such as trauma and lumbar puncture, coagulopathy, arteriovenous malformation, spinal artery aneurysm, vasculitis or neoplasm are known predisposing factors. Minor effort or trauma can be a cause of spontaneous spinal subarachnoid haemorrhage. Herein, we report a rare case of spontaneous spinal subarachnoid haemorrhage and subdural haematoma that occurred when the patient engaged in a kneeling bow on the floor.

Giant cell glioblastoma multiforme presents as acute pathological nontraumatic subdural haematoma.

We describe a case of giant cell glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) that presented with a non-traumatic acute subdural haematoma (NASDH). A 57-year-old male had a sudden onset headache and rapid deterioration in conscious level with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 5 and dilated unreactive left pupil. CT of the head revealed a left acute subdural haematoma with mass effect and a left parietal lesion. Our literature review revealed that glioblastoma presenting as an acute subdural haematoma is extremely unusual. To our knowledge, we report the second case. We propose an invasion of the arachnoid and cortical veins by the aggressive tumour as a possible underlying mechanism.

Pure retroclival subdural hemorrhage secondary to ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysm.

Approximately 3% of intracranial aneurysm ruptures result in an associated subdural hematoma (SDH). SDH from intracranial aneurysm rupture without radiographic evidence of SAH, however, is rare. We report a case of an isolated retroclival SDH secondary to an intracranial aneurysm rupture.

Influence of Insurance Status on Subdural Hematoma Management: A National Trauma Data Bank Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury is a major public health concern with a rising incidence in the United States. Prior studies have looked at associations between insurance status and traumatic brain injury, but none have focused specifically on traumatic subdural hematomas (SDH). It is important to evaluate whether insurance and/or other social determinants of health play a role in treatment and outcomes of traumatic SDH. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank was conducted from 2012 to 2016 to look at associations between insurance status and management of SDH with surgery versus intracranial pressure (ICP)/EVD monitoring. Secondary outcomes of interest were emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, ICU admission, ICU LOS, and mortality. RESULTS: We identified 68,687 adult patients with a single diagnosis of subdural hematoma. Overall, self-pay patients with SDH were younger, predominately male, and more likely to be non-white compared to patients with public or private health insurance.  More specifically, Black/African American SDH patients made up a large percentage of the self-pay category (15.5%; P < 0.001) compared to publicly and privately insured (7.5% and 8.0%, respectively). After adjusting for age, sex, injury severity score (ISS), Glasgow Coma Scale, alcohol intoxication, and trauma center level, publicly insured patients were 1.86 (95% CI 1.36-2.55, P < 0.001) times more likely to undergo a craniotomy or craniectomy compared to self-pay patients. However, insurance status did not appear to impact whether a patient received ICP/EVD monitoring (OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.24-1.18, P = 0.118). There was no statistically significant difference in ED LOS, Hospital LOS, and ICU LOS between insurance categories. CONCLUSIONS: Publicly insured patients have higher odds of undergoing surgical management for traumatic SDH compared to self-pay patients. Further studies evaluating this association are warranted.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) induced cerebral edema complicating small chronic subdural hematoma/hygroma/ at Zewuditu memorial hospital: a case report.

BACKGROUND: While both DKA & CSDH/subdural hygroma/ are known to cause significant morbidity and mortality, there is no a study that shows the role & effect of DKA on CSDH/subdural hygroma/ & vice versa to authors' best knowledge; hence this work will show how important relation does exist between DKA & CSDH/ hygroma. This study highlights the diagnostic & management challenges seen for a case of a 44 years old female black Ethiopian woman admitted with a diagnosis of newly diagnosed type 1 DM with DKA + small CSDH/subdural hygroma/ after she presented with sever global headache and a 3 month history of lost to her work. She needed burrhole & evacuation for complete clinical improvement besides DKA's medical treatment. CONCLUSION: DKA induced cerebral edema on the CSDH/subdural hematoma/ can have a role in altering any of the parameters (except the thickness of CSDH) for surgical indication of patients with a diagnosis of both CSDH +DM with DKA. Hence, the treating physicians should be vigilant of different parameters that suggests tight brain &/ cerebral edema (including midline shift, the status of cisterns, fissures & sulci) and should not be deceived of the thickness of the CSDH/subdural hygroma/alone; especially when there is a disproportionately tight brain for the degree of collection. Whether DKA induced cerebral edema causes a subdural hygroma is unknown and needs further study.

Incidence of child abuse with subdural hemorrhage during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide study in France.

The global COVID-19 pandemic prompted governments to impose unprecedented sanitary measures, such as social distancing, curfews, and lockdowns. In France and other countries, the first COVID-19 lockdown raised concerns about an increased risk of child abuse. Abusive head trauma (AHT) is one of the most serious forms of child abuse in children aged 0-24 months and constitutes the leading cause of death in children under 2 years of age. Subdural hemorrhage (SDH) is present in 89% of cases of AHT and constitutes one of the most specific, objective clinical presentations in the diagnosis of child abuse. In a French nationwide study, we sought to evaluate the potential impact of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of hospital admissions for child abuse with SDH, relative to the two previous years. We conducted a nationwide, retrospective study of data in the French national hospital discharge summary database by applying the International Classification of Diseases (10th Revision) codes for SDH and for child abuse. After including children aged up to 24 months with a diagnosis of child abuse and/or SDH following hospital admission anywhere in France between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020, we compared the incidence of child abuse, the incidence of SDH + child abuse, and the demographic data for 2020 with the corresponding values for 2018 and 2019. There were no significant differences in the number of hospital admissions due to child abuse or SDH + child abuse between 2020 and the 2018/2019 control years. The incidence of SDH + child abuse was higher among boys than among girls. There were significantly fewer hospital admissions in May 2020 (p = 0.01) and significantly more in December 2020 (p = 0.03), relative to the same months in the two preceding years. There was a nonsignificant trend toward a lower incidence of hospital admission for child abuse in 2020, relative to 2019 (decrease: 6.4%) and 2018 (decrease: 7.6%). CONCLUSION: When considering children under the age of 24 months in France, the incidence of hospital admission for SDH in the context of child abuse was not significantly higher in 2020 than in the two previous years. WHAT IS KNOWN: • The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on child abuse and more specifically on subdural hemorrhage remains unknown. WHAT IS NEW: • There was no increase in hospitalizations for child abuse and AHT. • We found that boys are more often victims of child abuse and subdural hemorrhage among children aged less than 12 months.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in a neonate with severe hemophilia - a diagnostic challenge in COVID times: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Neonates (MIS-N) can occur following antenatal COVID- 19 infection in the mother. Here we report a rare case of a neonate with Hemophilia A and MIS-N. CASE PRESENTATION: A 2-day-old baby presented with an intramuscular hematoma, neonatal seizures, and isolated activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) prolongation. The neurosonogram showed a subdural hematoma. A diagnosis of Hemophilia A was made and was confirmed by factor 8 assay and genetic analysis. Supportive measures and Factor 8 replacement was initiated. A rising trend of inflammatory markers and an ongoing need for mechanical ventilation were noted. As there was a history of COVID-19 in the mother in the third trimester, MIS-N was diagnosed. The baby was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and steroids, and there was an improvement in the clinical and laboratory markers. However, the baby developed seizures on day 16. There was an increase in the subdural hemorrhage and a further rise in inflammatory markers. A craniostomy and hematoma evacuation was done and the baby improved. CONCLUSION: The concurrent occurrence of hemophilia A with intracranial bleed, and MIS-N in a neonate is a diagnostic challenge. It is important to have a high index of suspicion to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment of MIS-N in this pandemic era.

Retinal haemorrhage in infants investigated for suspected maltreatment is strongly correlated with intracranial pathology.

AIM: To test the two prevailing hypotheses regarding the aetiology of infant retinal haemorrhage: (a) traction forces exerted by the lens and/or corpus vitreum on the retina during infant shaking or (b) retinal vessel leakage secondary to intracranial pathology and raised intracranial pressure. METHODS: Comparison of medical findings and reported type of trauma in infants investigated for suspected physical abuse with presence (n = 29) or non-presence of retinal haemorrhage (RH) (n = 119). RESULTS: Intracranial pathology was recorded in 15 (13%) of the non-RH cases and in 27 (97%) of the RH cases (p < 0.0001). All 18 infants with bilateral RH had intracranial pathology. Of 27 infants subjected to witnessed or admitted shaking, two were in the group with RH. One had a single unilateral RH and no intracranial pathology. The other had bilateral RH and intracranial pathology with non-specific white matter changes, acute subdural and subarachnoid haemorrhages, and suspected cortical venous thrombosis. In 15 RH cases, there was no trauma reported and no findings other than RH and intracranial pathology. Accidental blunt head trauma was reported in 7 RH cases. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that RH in infants is secondary to intracranial pathology of non-specific aetiology.

The legal challenges to the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome or how to counter 12 common fake news.

BACKGROUND: The shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a common cause of severe traumatic lesions in infants. Although well established for almost five decades, SBS and its diagnosis are becoming more and more aggressively challenged in courts. These challenges feed on the scientific debate and controversies regarding the pathophysiology and the differential diagnoses, scientific uncertainty being readily exploited by specialized barristers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the present review, we analyze the most common challenges to the concept of SBS and its diagnosis, as well as the scientific evidence available to counter these challenges, the differential diagnoses, and how SBS can be diagnosed with confidence. RESULTS: We found that the pathophysiology of SBS is well documented, with stereotyped descriptions by perpetrators, in good correlation with experimental studies and computer models. SBS is a well-defined clinico-pathological entity with a characteristic constellation of lesions; with a rigorous evaluation protocol, its diagnosis can be made rapidly and with excellent accuracy beyond a reasonable doubt. CONCLUSION: It is important that medical experts master an extensive knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of the lesions of SBS, in particular infantile subdural hematomas, as well as other CSF-related conditions. This emphasizes the role that pediatric neurosurgeons should play in the clinical and medicolegal management of these patients.

Identifying abusive head trauma and its mimics: diagnostic nuances.

BACKGROUND: Abusive head trauma (AHT) is the most serious injury inflicted to the nervous system of neonate an infant with a high incidence of disabilities. The authors present two cases in which the initial manifestations and neurologic status were misinterpreted and stress that clinical presentation and imaging can be variable and confuse the examiner. DISCUSSION: Subdural hemorrhage (SDH) in this age group raises high suspicion of non-accidental trauma but have been reported in other situations such as several bleeding disorders. Although rare, hematological diseases should be considered when other data of maltreatment are lacking. CONCLUSION: Differential diagnosis is important to avoid underdiagnosing AHT and to prevent morbidity if a pre-existing hematological disease is misdiagnosed.

Craniotomies following acute traumatic brain injury in Finland-a national study between 1997 and 2018.

BACKGROUND: A number of patients who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) require surgical intervention due to acute intracranial bleeding. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the national trends of acute craniotomies following TBI in the Finnish adult population. METHODS: The data were collected retrospectively from the Finnish Care Register for Health Care (1997-2018). The study cohort covered all first-time registered craniotomies following TBI in patients aged 18 years or older. A total of 7627 patients (median age = 59 years, men = 72%) were identified. RESULTS: The total annual incidence of acute trauma craniotomies decreased by 33%, from 8.6/100,000 in 1997 to 5.7/100,000 in 2018. The decrease was seen in both genders and all age groups, as well as all operation subgroups (subdural hematoma, SDH; epidural hematoma, EDH; intracerebral hematoma, ICH). The greatest incidence rate of 15.4/100,000 was found in patients 70 years or older requiring an acute trauma craniotomy. The majority of surgeries were due to an acute SDH and the patients were more often men. The difference between genders decreased with age (18-39 years = 84% men, 40-69 = 78% men, 70 + years = 55% men). The median age of the patients increased from 58 to 65 years during the 22-year study period. CONCLUSIONS: The number of trauma craniotomies is gradually decreasing; nonetheless, the incidence of TBI-related craniotomies remains high among geriatric patients. Further studies are needed to determine the indications and derive evidence-based guidelines for the neurosurgical care of older adults with TBIs to meet the challenges of the growing elderly population.

Length of Stay, Cost, and Outcomes related to Traumatic Subdural Hematoma in inpatient setting in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: In the US, the prevalence of traumatic subdural hematoma (TSDH) continues to increase. Using a nationally representative sample of discharge records of patients with TSDH, the study objectives were to estimate trend in number of TSDH cases, surgical management, inpatient cost, length of stay (LOS), mortality rate, and complication rate; and to identify the association of sociodemographic, clinical and hospital characteristics with complications and mortality. METHOD: We identified patients with a primary diagnosis of TSDH from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2010 to 2017. Quarterly and monthly trends were estimated using interrupted time series design. Multivariate logistic regressions measured association between various factors and inpatient death and complications. RESULTS: Number of cases, mean LOS, rate of complication increased. Proportion of patients undergoing surgery, mean inpatient cost, inpatient mortality decreased. Mean inpatient cost was $23,182.40 and LOS was 6.41 days. Odds of inpatient death and complications increased with injury severity score and comorbid conditions requiring use of anticoagulants. Odds of inpatient death were highest among those ≥85 years old and in south and northeast region. CONCLUSION: Given the increase in prevalence of TSDH in USA, additional resources should be allocated toward improving patient outcomes and lowering healthcare costs.