Following head trauma, an athlete appears fine, but within 10 to 20 minutes starts to exhibit signs and symptoms of neurologic deterioration, such as drowsiness, nausea, dilation of one pupil, and decreased level of consciousness. What injury should be suspected?

Epidural Hematoma

Explanation:

An epidural hematoma generally results through injury or other head trauma.

Bleeding happens between both the rigid outer membrane that protects the brain (dura mater) and the skull.

There is sometimes a loss of consciousness after a head injury, a brief recovery of consciousness and then again a loss of consciousness.

For instance, the brain might be exposed to a devastating impact after a fall, car accident or contact sports incident. Physical trauma may also cause damage to the head and cause an epidural hematoma.

EPIDURAL HEMATOMA(EDH)

Explanation:The spaces between the skull and the outer tough protective membrane covering the brain(dura mater) is known as the epidural space.

Epidural hematoma is when bleeding occurs between this spaces or when there is accumulation of blood between these spaces.

CAUSES;Trauma or injury to the head causing the brain to bounce back against the inside if the skull.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS;

Confusion,dizziness,drowsiness or altered level of alertness,enlarged pupil in one eye,headache (severe),head injury or trauma followed by loss of consciousness, a period of alertness, then rapid deterioration back to unconsciousness,nausea or vomiting.

TREATMENT;

Treatment of epidural hematoma is by surgery to remove the epidural hematoma. It usually involves a craniotomy which is a surgical procedure involving a surgeon opening up part of the skull so he can remove the hematoma and reduce the pressure on the brain.

In other cases, the doctor may recommend aspiration.