Epidural hematoma is caused by which mechanism?

Epidural hematoma is caused by which mechanism?

• A. Focused blow to head, skull fracture and arterial laceration
• B. Viral infection
• C. Dehydration
• D. Venous sinus thrombosis

Answer: (A)

Epidural hematoma results from arterial bleeding into the space between the skull and dura after a head injury that fractures the skull, typically tearing the middle meningeal artery. Because it's arterial, blood pours in rapidly, creating a quickly expanding hematoma that can cause sudden neurological deterioration after a brief lucid interval. The other options don’t fit: a viral infection affects meninges or brain tissue rather than causing an arterial epidural bleed; dehydration doesn’t produce an epidural hematoma; venous sinus thrombosis involves the venous system and leads to different patterns of hemorrhage, not an acute arterial epidural bleed.

Epidural hematoma results from arterial bleeding into the space between the skull and dura after a head injury that fractures the skull, typically tearing the middle meningeal artery. Because it's arterial, blood pours in rapidly, creating a quickly expanding hematoma that can cause sudden neurological deterioration after a brief lucid interval. The other options don’t fit: a viral infection affects meninges or brain tissue rather than causing an arterial epidural bleed; dehydration doesn’t produce an epidural hematoma; venous sinus thrombosis involves the venous system and leads to different patterns of hemorrhage, not an acute arterial epidural bleed.