Open AccessBeware of the Anticoagulated Elderly with Minor Head Injury
Author(s) -
Chung CH
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
hong kong journal of emergency medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.145
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 2309-5407
pISSN - 1024-9079
DOI - 10.1177/102490790501200202
Subject(s) - medicine , vomiting , head injury , warfarin , emergency department , hematoma , computed tomography , subdural haematoma , surgery , radiology , anesthesia , cardiology , atrial fibrillation , psychiatry
A 69‐year‐old man first presented to the emergency department after a fall. He had no history of loss of consciousness or vomiting. He sustained a 3 cm long laceration over the right occipital region of the head. There was no fracture in the X‐rays of the skull. He was on warfarin because of cardiac problem. He was discharged after suturing. He re‐attended the next morning because of left sided weakness. Non‐contrast brain computed tomogram showed acute subdural haematoma. Burr holes were performed subsequently. Special precautions should be undertaken in managing the elderly with minor head injury, with a lower threshold for computed tomography and coagulation profile studies.