Pin-site epidural hematoma: A catastrophic complication of cranial fixation in a child

Abstract

Cranial fixation with pins is a routine adjunct in neurosurgery and is usually considered safe. A rarely reported complication is skull fracture at the pin site and consequent epidural hematoma. Usually, these are picked up only postoperatively and rarely, intraoperatively if there is unexplained 'brain bulge' in which case the operation should be terminated and urgent imaging has to be done. We describe such a complication that occurred while operating on a 12-year-old child with a posterior fossa tumor and review the available literature dealing with such events.