Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Pneumocephalus Following Severe Head Trauma

  • Case Report
  • Published:
European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

It is important to be alert to the possibility of pneumocephalus in patients with head injury. Pneumocephalus is a potentially lethal complication in patients with craniofacial fractures following severe head trauma. A patient presented with intracranial air after he fell down from a height of 4 m. The patient recovered without any neurological deficits after conservative treatment. A time sequence of cerebral CT scans shows how the pneumocephalus developed and finally resolved without surgical intervention. The etiology, diagnosis, treatment and possible complications of this injury are discussed briefly.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Briggs M. Traumatic pneumocephalus. Br J Surg 1974;61:307–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Orebaugh SL, Margolis JH. Post-traumatic intracerebral pneumatocele: case report. J Trauma 1990;30:1577–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Steudel WI, Hacker H. Prognosis, incidence and management of acute traumatic intracranial pneumocephalus:a retrospective analysis of 49 cases. Acta Neurochir 1986;80:93–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Markham JW. The clinical features of pneumocephalus based upon a survey of 284 cases with report of 11 additional cases. Acta Neurochir 1967;16:1–78.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Gautschi OP, Zellweger R. Asymptomatic posttraumatic pneumocephalus. Am J Emerg Med. 2006;24:628–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Zee CS, Hovanessian A, Go JL, Kim PE. Imaging of sequelae of head trauma. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 2002;12:325–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Wood BJ, Mirvis SE, Shanmuganathan K. Tension pneumocephalus and tension orbital emphysema following blunt trauma. Ann Emerg Med 1996;28:446–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Joshi SM, Demetriades A, Vasani SS, Ellamushi H, Yeh J. Tension pneumocephalus following head injury. Emerg Med J 2006;23:324.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Eftekhar B, Ghodsi M, Nejat F, Ketabchi E, Esmaeeli B. Prophylactic administration of ceftriaxone for the prevention of meningitis after traumatic pneumocephalus: results of a clinical trial. J Neurosurg 2004;101:757–61.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Eftekhar B, Ghodsi M, Hadadi A, Taghipoor M, Sigarchi SZ, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Kazemzadeh ES, Esmaeeli B, Nejat F, Yalda A, Ketabchi E. Prophylactic antibiotic for prevention of posttraumatic meningitis after traumatic pneumocephalus: design and rationale of a placebo-controlled randomized multicenter trial. Trials 2006;7:2.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, G04-228, University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Dennis E. J. G. J. Dolmans & Loek P. H. Leenen MD, PhD

  2. Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Maurice A. A. J. van den Bosch & Lino Ramos

  3. Department of Surgery, G04-228, University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Loek P. H. Leenen MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Dennis E. J. G. J. Dolmans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maurice A. A. J. van den Bosch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lino Ramos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Loek P. H. Leenen MD, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Loek P. H. Leenen MD, PhD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dolmans, D.E.J.G.J., van den Bosch, M.A.A.J., Ramos, L. et al. Pneumocephalus Following Severe Head Trauma. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 35, 186–189 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-008-8027-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-008-8027-7

Key Words

Search

Navigation