SummaryThe twenty-two adult patients with subacute and chronic subdural haematoma seen in Leicester during the last 7 years have been reviewed. The clinical manifestations and results of investigations are described. The diagnostic difficulties which may confront physicians are discussed, with special reference to cases with no history of head injury masquerading as strokes. Stress is laid on the points which help with the differentiation.
IntroductionThe diagnosis of subdural haematoma (SDH) does not usually present much difficulty for the neurosurgeon, as once this possibility is considered, it can be readily confirmed by burrhole exploration, which also allows definitive treatment to be started. However, in patients admitted in the first place to general medical rather than neurosurgical wards, and particularly when a history of head injury is lacking, the correct diagnosis may not be suspected initially. In such cases, the differential diagnosis may cover a wide variety of conditions, and the role of the physician is to consider the possibility of SDH and select the suitable cases for investigation and surgical treatment. We have, therefore, reviewed the adult patients with proven SDH in Leicester over the last 7 years, and in this paper report our exper-