Listen 

Health Library

Section Menu
  1. Introduction
  2. Symptoms
  3. Causes
  4. Diagnosis
  5. Treatment
  6. Prevention

Subdural haematoma

Treatment

In all cases, the treatment for subdural haematomas is determined by their size and location. Many people are able to make a swift recovery, with some residual symptoms such as drowsiness and weakness. However, if the haematoma has affected a large part of the brain, then the condition may prove to be fatal.

If you are found to have a subdural haematoma, you will normally be admitted to hospital for treatment. This often involves a surgical procedure in which blood is drained from the head through tiny holes made in the skull.

If the subdural haematoma is small and causes few symptoms, you may simply be monitored with regular scans. Blood clots sometimes clear without the need for surgery. Blood thinning drugs may also be given.

Following any sort of head injury, most hospitals will want to keep you under surveillance until the risk of a chronic haematoma forming has passed. This is particularly important for older people, who commonly develop blood clots over several weeks or months. If this type of clot is detected in time, it can normally be removed by a straightforward operation with effective results.



Continue to the next section - Prevention

Last updated on 27 June 2007 04:48 PM

Print Version
This information is licensed to NHS 24 by the Department of Health, and is based on content displayed by NHS Direct.
© Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and Queen’s Printer for Scotland.