Intractable subdural effusion after decompressive craniectomy for traumatic brain injury: A case report

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Traumatic subdural effusion is a common complication of traumatic brain injury, especially after decompressive craniectomy (DC). For neurosurgeons, early diagnosis and timely treatment are particularly important, which can help improve patient prognosis and enhance quality of life.

CASE SUMMARY

A 47 year old male underwent DC for traumatic brain herniation. After surgery, he developed stubborn subdural effusion (SDE) on the contralateral side and underwent multiple subdural drilling and drainage surgeries, but only temporarily improved the patient’s symptoms. After the final cranioplasty, the contralateral SDE completely disappeared. The patient did not experience any new contralateral neurological dysfunction, and the Glasgow prognostic score was 11 points (E4V1M6).

CONCLUSION

For neurosurgeons, accurate assessment of the condition is necessary when treating patients with stubborn SDE after DC surgery, and timely cranioplasty can be performed to avoid multiple surgeries. This is a safe and effective surgical method for treating traumatic subdural effusion.

Keywords: Traumatic brain injury; Traumatic subdural effusion; Decompressive craniectomy; Cranioplasty; Case report

Core Tip: Traumatic subdural effusion is a common complication of traumatic brain injury, especially after decompressive craniectomy (DC). For neurosurgeons, early diagnosis and timely treatment are particularly important, which can help improve patient prognosis and enhance quality of life. This article reports a case of refractory subdural fluid accumulation after DC, providing reference for clinical work. Contralateral subdural effusion is one of the complications after DC surgery, especially in cases of stubborn subdural effusion, and cranioplasty is an effective treatment method. Our research can provide reference value for the clinical treatment of refractory subdural fluid accumulation after DC.