The Surgery of the Skull and BrainRawling, Louis Bathe
Science
The Surgery of the Skull and Brain
Rawling, Louis Bathe
Brain -- Surgery; Skull -- Surgery
When a small hæmorrhage is present, situated on either side of the falx
cerebri, both lower extremities suffer and diplegia results.
In some cases, chemosis of the conjunction, œdema of the lids, and
proptosis have been observed. In any case an ophthalmoscopic examination
should be carried out. Frequently some fullness of the retinal veins and
diminution in the calibre of the arteries supply confirmatory evidence.
In the event of doubt in diagnosis, lumbar puncture should be carried
out. It should be noted, however, that although the positive evidence of
free blood corpuscles points to subdural hæmorrhage, yet that absence of
blood in the fluid withdrawn does not exclude the possibility of a
localized and more or less encapsulated hæmorrhage. In the event of
failure at recognition of the serious lesion present, disastrous results
will ensue--monoplegia, diplegia, hemiplegia, epilepsy, and idiocy.
=Treatment.= The age of the patient must not be allowed to weigh in the
balance against operative treatment, for, if due precautions be taken,
the new-born child stands operation well. Cushing points out that ‘the
possibilities of surgical relief are limited to the first week or two
after the hæmorrhage has occurred, for old cortical scars can neither be
helped by medicine nor by the scalpel’.
The clot can be exposed by craniectomy or by craniotomy. The latter
operation results in a more complete exposure, but the shock is
undoubtedly more severe. Exposure by craniotomy is advocated by Cushing,
and carried out in the following manner: ‘An omega-shaped incision just
within the outer margin of the parietal bone is carried down to the bone
through the scalp and pericranium, and the latter is scraped away so as
to expose the thin serrated edge of the parietal bone. Under this a
blunt dissector is passed, so that the edge of the bone is tilted up,
and then, with a proper cutting instrument (strong blunt-pointed
scissors suffice), the bone is incised in a line conforming with the
skin incision 1 centimetre or more within the parietal margin. The
parietal bone is then broken across at its base. The dura is opened by a
curved incision some distance within the bony margin, and the
superficial clot broken away or lifted off in fragments, or irrigated
away with a gentle stream of warm saline solution. The dura should be
accurately sutured, the bone replaced, and the skin closed with suture.’
He reports on 9 cases so treated, with 4 recoveries, apparently complete
and permanent. The fatal cases were all associated with extensive
extravasation over the entire hemisphere. In 3 cases bilateral exposure
was necessitated.
Taking, however, the question into more general consideration, it would
appear that equally satisfactory results can be obtained, with a lesser
degree of operative danger, by carrying out craniectomy in the manner
described in the treatment of ‘traumatic subdural hæmorrhage’ (see p.
156).
DERMOIDS
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