Case report: Brain herniation after evacuation of a chronic subdural hematoma with subgaleal drainage placement

Abstract

Chronic subdural hematomas are rarely seen in young patients. We describe a patient case who presented with bilateral chronic subdural hematomas after amateur boxing. Risk factors for cSDH in young patients are sports-related trauma and arachnoid cysts, which both present in our patient. After bilateral burr-hole surgery and placement of subgaleal drainages (SGD), he developed unilateral sensory deficits due to brain herniation in the burr hole located above the postcentral area. Revision surgery was successful. This is the first time that local brain herniation as a complication of subgaleal drainage is described.

Keywords

• Chronic subdural hematoma
• Boxing
• Arachnoid cyst
• Subgaleal drainage