Final answer:
An epidural hematoma is a potentially lethal condition resulting from a head injury that causes arterial bleeding between the skull and brain covering, leading to increased intracranial pressure. Symptoms may develop quickly and include severe headache, confusion, and drowsiness, among others.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is an Epidural Hematoma?
An epidural hematoma is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs when a blood vessel, typically an artery, is damaged and bleeds between the inner surface of the skull and the outer layer of the dura, which is one of the covering layers of the brain. This situation often arises from a strong blow to the lateral side of the head which may fracture the pterion, an area where a major artery lies just beneath the skull. If this artery is damaged, the resulting bleed can lead to a hematoma, creating pressure on the brain due to the accumulation of blood.
Signs and Symptoms
The signs and symptoms (S/S) of an epidural hematoma may not be immediately obvious following the injury but can develop rapidly. They can include severe headache, confusion, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, and possibly weakness or numbness in part of the body, seizures, and an altered level of consciousness. If the hematoma is not treated quickly, the increasing pressure on the brain may cause brain herniation and could lead to death within hours.