Epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical profile of chronic subdural hematoma

Introduction: Chronic subdural hematoma (HSDC) is a common pathology in neurosurgery. It is defined as sanguineous accumulation between the dura and the arachnoid, most often following minor head trauma. Its occurrence is closely related to advanced age and / or coagulopathy. The diagnosis is to be evoked face to any neurological alteration of the elderly or alcoholic subject. Certain clinical forms are sometimes misleading and may take on a psychiatric or senile dementia aspect. The brain CT scan without injection allows the diagnosis in the majority of cases. Treatment is primarily surgical, with corticosteroid therapy alone having little chance to be effective. The objective of our work is to study the epidemiological, clinical, para-clinical, therapeutic and evolutionary aspects of chronic subdural hematoma at the University Hospital of Oran. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study, that included elderly patients treated for chronic subdural hematoma in the neurosurgery department of Oran University Hospital over a period of five years. Results: A  total of 133 patients were operated on for a chronic subdural hematoma during the study period. The mean age of the cases was 70 ± 13 years. Clinical manifestations were  dominated by motor disturbances and headache. The CT scan was the key diagnostic test. All patients received surgical treatment. The postoperative consequences were favorable in more than 99% of cases with a low rate of complications. Conclusion: Chronic subdural hematoma is a frequent neurological pathology in elderly with benign head trauma often gone unnoticed in the weeks preceding the emergency consultation. Management is purely surgical and the outcome is favorable in most cases.