Objective In patients with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs), with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of 13 to 15, isolated subdural hematomas (iSDHs) are identified as a prevalent category of intracranial hemorrhage. The primary objective of our research was to investigate the relationship between the characteristics of iSDHs, as revealed through computed tomography (CT) scans on patient admission, and the consequent necessity for neurosurgical intervention.

Materials and Methods This was a 1-year study, employing a prospective observational design at our institution. We enrolled adult trauma patients diagnosed with mTBIs and concurrent iSDHs, intent on documenting the hemorrhages' quantitative parameters such as maximum length and thickness, among other related variables. The eventual execution of neurosurgical procedures constituted our primary outcome, aiming to establish a decisive correlation between CT scan metrics of iSDHs upon admission and the imperative for subsequent surgical intervention.

Results A total of 50 patients were included in our study: 14 patients received a neurosurgical intervention and 36 patients did not. The neurosurgical intervention group had a mean maximum SDH length and thickness that were 38 mm longer and 9.6 mm thicker than those of the non-neurosurgical intervention group (p < 0.001 for both).

Conclusion In this study, we evaluated the odds of a neurosurgical intervention based on hemorrhage characteristics on CT, in patients with an iSDH and mTBI. Once validated in a second population, these data can be used to evaluate the necessity of interhospital transfers and to better inform patients and families of the risk of future neurosurgical intervention and prognosis.

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants or their parents who were included in this study.

Article published online:
10 September 2024

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