An epidural hematoma is a life-threatening condition which necessitates early surgical
intervention. Conservative management is undertaken in smaller hematomas; rarely,
a massive hematoma may show spontaneous resolution which can be picked up only by
a repeat computed tomography before surgery. Here, we report one such case where we
noted a surprisingly rapid resolution of an epidural hematoma, which was relatively
a large clot and where the last minute call to have a repeated computed tomography
scan changed the line of management altogether from a surgical one to conservative.
The patient in this particular case is a 20-year-old male, with a history of fall
from height. The initial scan showed a large epidural hematoma which requires surgical
evacuation, whereas the subsequent scans showed near-complete resolution and hence
was managed conservatively. Rare cases like these should always be kept in mind, and
the importance of a repeat scan should never be disregarded.
Key-words:
Computed tomography - epidural hematoma - spontaneous resolution
