Blogs

Brain hemorrhage in children:

A brain hemorrhage in children is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. The hemorrhage results from the rupture of a blood vessel supplying the brain, causing blood to leak out of the vessel and into the brain tissue and membranes.

Bleeding can occur anywhere in the brain, possibly within the skull or between the skull and brain. It can lead to serious complications, including weakness, loss of consciousness, and seizures. However, treatment may reduce your child's risk of long-term brain (neurological) problems.

Signs of a brain hemorrhage in children:
If you notice any of the following symptoms in your child, go to the hospital immediately:

Sudden, severe headache
Seizures and convulsions
Dizziness or fainting
Fever
Nausea
Stiff neck
Coma
Difficulty with vision, movement, or speech

Causes of brain hemorrhage:

In many cases, there is no clear cause for a brain hemorrhage. About 1 in 5 children with a brain hemorrhage have no clear cause.
The most common causes of brain hemorrhages in children are:

Head injury or trauma
Blood vessel problems, such as a brain aneurysm
High blood pressure
Blood diseases, such as hemophilia
Sickle cell disease (sickle cell anemia)
Certain brain tumors
Weak blood vessels
Moyamoya disease

How are brain hemorrhages diagnosed?

If a brain hemorrhage is suspected in your child and some of the above symptoms are present, you may need to go to the emergency room immediately.
In the hospital emergency room, a pediatric neurosurgeon will perform a physical examination, review your child's medical history and symptoms, and order other tests, such as:

Laboratory tests: These include platelet counts and other tests to measure blood clotting.

MRI or CT scan: These provide a detailed image of the brain to check for bleeding.
Angiography: Provides a clearer image of the blood vessels. This is done by passing a thin tube (catheter) through the blood vessels supplying the brain, with a dye injected through the tube to facilitate visualization. This procedure can be performed using an MRI or CT scan.

Transcranial Doppler (TCD): This procedure shows blood flow through the blood vessels in the brain. It is used to monitor conditions that may worsen the bleeding.

Treatment of Brain Hemorrhage:

Treatment of brain hemorrhage in children depends on the cause, size, and location of the bleeding, whether it is within the skull, the brain, or between the skull and the brain.

It is worth noting that a small portion of the hemorrhage may resolve on its own, but monitoring symptoms and under the supervision of a physician can prevent worsening symptoms.

Some drug treatments are also used to control bleeding, prevent seizures, and control blood pressure within the blood vessels in the brain.

Pediatric Brain Hemorrhage Surgery:

The doctor may resort to surgical intervention to remove trapped blood, reduce swelling, treat abnormal blood vessels, and drain excess fluid in the brain using one of the following surgical procedures:

Simple aspiration: The surgeon makes a small hole in the skull and, using a small rubber tube or catheter, drains the hemorrhage or hematoma.

Craniotomy: This procedure is used if the hematoma is very large. The surgeon makes an incision inside the skull and performs open surgery to drain the bleeding and repair ruptured blood vessels.

Endoscopic hemorrhage drainage: This procedure is somewhat similar to simple aspiration. The surgeon makes a small hole in the skull and, using an endoscope, reaches the site of the bleeding and drains it.

Repair of abnormal blood vessels: When the bleeding is caused by an aneurysm, the surgeon uses this procedure to remove or close the blood vessel causing the hemorrhage and relieve pressure within the brain.