Traumatic extradural hematomas of the posterior fossa in children

The most favorable type of traumatic intracranial bleeding in childhood is the extradural hemorrage (EDH). The posterior fossa location is less frequent than the supratentorial site. In the period from January 1989 to January 1994 we treated 2,372 patients with craniocerebral trauma; 31 had extradural hematomas (1.3%); 3 of them were located in the posterior fossa (9.7%): 1 boy and 2 girls aged from 6 to 16 years. The traumatic mechanism was an occipital fall in all cases. Diagnosis was made by computed tomography scan (CT). Two of them had a rapidly deteriorating course. The three patients were operated on without mortality and there was no morbidity. The role of CT in the early detection of lesions and prompt surgical evacuation may reduce the mortality and morbidity from this lesion. The interaction between these factors is discussed.