Epidural Hematoma: The Outcome of Glucocorticoids’ Complementary Use to Surgical Treatment

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The use of glucocorticoids in trauma patients with parenchymal damage is deemed unnecessary and is not advocated. Notwithstanding, acute epidural hematomas (aEH) are extra-parenchymal lesions, so the patients could benefit from the use of glucocorticoids. METHODOLOGY/RESULTS: 97 patients with acute epidural hematoma were separated into two groups, whether they received glucocorticoid treatment or not. Depending on the severity of the deficit and their clinical status, some of the patients were operated on and others not. The patients who received glucocorticoids had better neurological status upon discharge, while their hospitalization was shorter. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical management of the acute epidural hematomas in combination with glucocorticoid treatment had the best outcome in our protocol.