Traumatic Intraventricular Hemorrhage : Analysis of 21 Consecutive Cases

A series of 21 cases with traumatic intraventricular homorrhage diagnosed by computed tomography is described.

Most were victims of traffic accident and suffered from severe head injuries. Cerebral contusions and subarachnoid hemorhage were the most common associated findings. Blood was present in one or both lateral ventricles in 13 cases ; the 3rd or 4th ventricles in 2 and all ventricles in 6 cases.

The presence of IVH indicated a poor outcome. Poor outcome was associated with increasing age, low admission Glasgow Coma Scale, the presence of space occupying lesions and hemorrahge in all four ventricles.

IVH after blunt head trauma is uncommon and reflects the severity of the head injury.