[Acute epidural hematoma of the posterior fossa in a case of von Willebrand's disease]

Abstract

A rare case of acute epidural hematoma of the posterior fossa associated with von Willebrand's disease is reported. A 9-year-old boy fell down and hit his occipital region against a floor. Soon after he came home and slept, but three hours later he began to vomit and became drowsiness. He visited our hospital and his Glasgow Coma Scale showed 13 points. CT scan on admission showed acute epidural hematoma of left posterior fossa and contusional hematoma in the right temporal lobe. The bleeding time was over 18 minutes. He had been suspected to be suffering from von Willebrand's disease two years ago. Then fresh blood, fresh frozen plasma and anti-hemophilic globulin were prepared. Ten hours after injury, the operation was begun. Fresh epidural hematoma existed as a clot beyond transverse sinus. During the procedure of dural tenting suture, diffuse bleeding from bone, muscle, subcutaneous tissue and dura occurred and it was difficult to stop the bleeding. By using fresh blood and anti-hemophilic globulin, the bleeding was controlled, and then the operation was achieved. In the postoperative course a new epidural hematoma was found in the left temporal region and a new but asymptomatic retinal hemorrhage was found in his right eye. He was discharged without any neurological deficits 25 days after operation.