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¹Department of Neurosurgery, Izmir State Hospital, Izmir, Turkey
²Division of Paediatric Neurosurgery, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey Traumatic extradural haematomas (EDHs) comprise 1 to 3% of all head trauma admissions. The availability of computed tomography has increased the diagnosis of extradural haematomas. From January 1,1986 to December 31, 1994, 4,553 patients with head injury were admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, İzmir State Hospital. Of 4,553 patients, 190 patients with surgically treated EDH were included in this study. There were 161 males (85%) and 29 females (15%). The ages of the patients ranged from 4 to 70 years (mean 28 years). Seventy percent of the patients were between 15 and 40 years of age. The overall mortality was 15.7% (30 patients). All deaths occurred in comatose patients, except for one case (p< 0.000l). Comatose state, presence of focal motor signs, respiratory irregularities and bradycardia, pupillary changes were determined as the bad prognostic factors. A midline shift greater than 10 mm, haematoma volume greater than 90 ml and haematoma thickness greater than 30 mm significantly increased the mortality. The primary factor on outcome is Glasgow Coma Scale scores of the patients at the time of surgery. Therefore early surgery is crucial in the managment of EDH which is a dynamic process. Keywords : Computed tomography, extradural haematoma, head injury