Clinical data

  • This is an example of a traumatic vascular injury in the central nervous system.
  • Unfortunately there is no clinical data for the specimen.
Epidural haematoma skull photo

Post mortem pathology

  • A side view of the specimen shows a fracture in the left parietal region.
  • This is a common site for a skull fracture.
  • The pterion is the weakest part of the skull http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterion
  • The anterior branch of the middle meningeal artery runs through the dura beneath the pterion
Fracture in the left parietal region

  • The skull fracture has resulted in laceration of  artery,  
  • followed by a massive arterial haemorrhage.
  • The haematoma which formed has a smooth convex profile.
  • The haematoma would have compressed the underlying brain, resulting in pressure effects leading to the patients death.
Epidural haematoma skull photo

  • On the opposite undamaged side of our specimen the pterion can be seen as a thin, almost transparent area of skull.
  • The grooves made by branches of the middle meningeal are seen on the inner skull in the same region
  • (The grooves of the anterior and posterior meningeal arteries can also be seen.)
The grooves of the anterior and posterior meningeal arteries can also be seen
  • Note the location of the haematoma, it lies between the dura and the internal surface of the skull  i.e. it is epidural or extradural . 
    • (Under arterial pressure the expanding haematoma  stripped the dura from the periosteum.)
  • Contrast this with a subdural haematoma, which would collect between the dura and the surface of the brain
Note the location of the haematoma, it lies between the dura and the internal surface of the skull  i.e. it is epidural or extradural.

Subdural haemorrhage link


Image removed.

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