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Indian Journal of Neurotrauma 2017; 14(01): 039-042
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1603814
Case Report
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

Posttraumatic Pneumocephalus: The Spectrum in a Tertiary Neurosurgery Center

Vinod Kumar
1   Department of Neurosurgery, KMC, Manipal University, Udupi, Karnataka, India
,
Rajesh Parameshwaran Nair
1   Department of Neurosurgery, KMC, Manipal University, Udupi, Karnataka, India
,
Ajay Hegde
1   Department of Neurosurgery, KMC, Manipal University, Udupi, Karnataka, India
,
Girish Menon R.
1   Department of Neurosurgery, KMC, Manipal University, Udupi, Karnataka, India
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History

05 November 2016

05 May 2017

Publication Date:
24 July 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Traumatic head injuries are often encountered in the emergency triage, and usually these patients have open head injuries or traumatic pneumocephalus secondary to base of skull fractures. The first line of management involves conservative approaches that include the use of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, loop diuretics, and, occasionally, lumbar CSF diversion techniques. Surgical intervention is considered once conservative management fails after 2 weeks of institution of conservative management. Here, we discuss the various clinical scenarios, clinical presentation, treatment dilemmas, and possible complications in patients with traumatic pneumocephalus.

Keywords

pneumocephalus - air bubble - pneumoventricle - Mount Fuji sign
 

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