Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Subdural Hematoma Rebleeding in Relation to Abusive Head Trauma

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Family Violence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

When cases of suspected abusive head trauma are adjudicated in courts of law, one of the theories often presented by defense experts is that a normal, healthy infant or child suddenly neurologically deteriorates or dies several weeks to months after birth or minor injury because a preceding subdural hematoma spontaneously rebleeds after a minor traumatic event. This article reviews the underlying scientific basis of subdural hematoma rebleeding as it applies to this courtroom theory.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Block, R. W. (1999). Child abuse—controversies and imposters. Current problems in pediatrics, 29(9), 253–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradford, R., Choudhary, A. K., & Dias, M. S. (2013). Serial neuroimaging in infants with abusive head trauma: timing abusive injuries: Clinical article. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, 12(2), 110–119.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Camel, M., & Grubb Jr., R. L. (1986). Treatment of chronic subdural hematoma by twist-drill craniostomy with continuous catheter drainage. Journal of neurosurgery, 65(2), 183–187.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chadwick, D. L., Bertocci, G., Castillo, E., Frasier, L., Guenther, E., Hansen, K., et al. (2008). Annual risk of death resulting from short falls among young children: less than 1 in 1 million. Pediatrics, 121(6), 1213–1224.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dias, M. S., Backstrom, J., Falk, M., & Li, V. (1998). Serial radiography in the infant shaken impact syndrome. Pediatric neurosurgery, 29(2), 77–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duhaime, A.-C., & Partington, M. D. (2002). Overview and clinical presentation of inflicted head injury in infants. Neurosurgery Clinics of North America, 13(2), 149–154.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duhaime, A.-C., Gennarelli, T. A., Thibault, L. E., Bruce, D. A., Margulies, S. S., & Wiser, R. (1987). The shaken baby syndrome: a clinical, pathological, and biomechanical study. Journal of neurosurgery, 66(3), 409–415.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duhaime, A.-C., Christian, C. W., Rorke, L. B., & Zimmerman, R. A. (1998). Nonaccidental head injury in infants—the “shaken-baby syndrome”. New England Journal of Medicine, 338(25), 1822–1829.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Feldman, K. W., Sugar, N. F., & Browd, S. R. (2015). Initial clinical presentation of children with acute and chronic versus acute subdural hemorrhage resulting from abusive head trauma. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, 16(2), 177–185.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, W. J. (1932). Traumatic subdural hematoma: with particular reference to the latent interval. Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry, 27(4), 847–858.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hymel, K. P., Jenny, C., & Block, R. W. (2002). Intracranial hemorrhage and rebleeding in suspected victims of abusive head trauma: addressing the forensic controversies. Child maltreatment, 7(4), 329–348.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ito, H., Komai, T., & Yamamoto, S. (1978). Fibrinolytic enzyme in the lining walls of chronic subdural hematoma. Journal of neurosurgery, 48(2), 197–200.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jenny, C., Hymel, K. P., Ritzen, A., Reinert, S. E., & Hay, T. C. (1999). Analysis of missed cases of abusive head trauma. JAMA, 281(7), 621–626.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Labadie, E. L., & Glover, D. (1975). Local alterations of hemostatic-fibrinolytic mechanisms in reforming subdural hematomas. Neurology, 25(7), 669..

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leestma, J. E. (1997). Forensic neuropathology. In: Garcia JH (Ed.), Neuropathology: the diagnostic approach (pp 518–570). St Louis: Mosby.

  • Lim, D. J., Chung, Y. G., Park, Y. K., Song, J. H., Lee, H. K., Lee, K. C.,. .. Yang, Y. S. (1995). Relationship between tissue plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor and CT image in chronic subdural hematoma. Journal of Korean medical science, 10(5), 373–378.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Looney, C. B., Smith, J. K., Merck, L. H., Wolfe, H. M., Chescheir, N. C., Hamer, R. M., & Gilmore, J. H. (2007). Intracranial hemorrhage in asymptomatic neonates: prevalence on MR images and relationship to obstetric and neonatal risk factors 1. Radiology, 242(2), 535–541.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Markwalder, T.-M., & Reulen, H.-J. (1986). Influence of neomembranous organisation, cortical expansion and subdural pressure on the post-operative course of chronic subdural haematoma—an analysis of 201 cases. Acta neurochirurgica, 79(2–4), 100–106.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McLone, D. G., Gutierrez, F. A., Raimondi, A. J., & Wiederhold, M. (1981). Ultrastructure of subdural membranes of children. American Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, 1, 174–187.

  • Munro, D. (1934). The diagnosis and treatment of subdural hematomata. New England Journal of Medicine, 210(22), 1145–1160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Munro, D., & Merritt, H. H. (1936). Surgical pathology of subdural hematoma: based on a study of one hundred and five cases. Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry, 35(1), 64–78.

  • Oehmichen, M., Auer, R. N., & König, H. G. (2006). Forensic neuropathology and associated neurology: Springer Science & Business Media.

  • Parent, A. (1992). Pediatric chronic subdural hematoma: a retrospective comparative analysis. Pediatric neurosurgery, 18(5–6), 266–271.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pearce, J. (2006). The craniospinal venous system. European neurology, 56(2), 136–138.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rooks, V., Eaton, J., Ruess, L., Petermann, G., Keck-Wherley, J., & Pedersen, R. (2008). Prevalence and evolution of intracranial hemorrhage in asymptomatic term infants. American Journal of Neuroradiology, 29(6), 1082–1089.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rorke-Adams, L. (2011). Neuropathology of abusive head trauma. Child abuse and neglect, vol 1 (pp. 413–428). St. Louis: Elsevier.

  • Rosenørn, J., & Gjerris, F. (1978). Long-term follow-up review of patients with acute and subacute subdural hematomas. Journal of neurosurgery, 48(3), 345–349.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Starling, S.P. (2005). Head injury. In: A.P. Giardino, R. Alexander (Eds.), Child maltreatment: a clinical guide and reference. 3rd edition (pp 37–62). St. Louis: G.W. Medical Publishing, Inc.,

  • Swift, D. M., & McBride, L. (2000). Chronic subdural hematoma in children. Neurosurgery Clinics of North America, 11(3), 439–446.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Towner, D., Castro, M. A., Eby-Wilkens, E., & Gilbert, W. M. (1999). Effect of mode of delivery in nulliparous women on neonatal intracranial injury. New England Journal of Medicine, 341(23), 1709–1714.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tubbs, R. S., Loukas,M., Louis, R.G. Jr, Shoja,M.M., Acakpo-Satchivi, L., Blount, J. P., Salter E.G., Oakes W.J., & Wellons, J. C. III (2007). Anatomy of the falcine venous plexus. Journal of neurosurgery, 107(1), 155–157.

  • Tzioumi, D., & Oates, R. K. (1998). Subdural hematomas in children under 2 years. Accidental or inflicted? A 10-year experience. Child Abuse & Neglect, 22(11), 1105–1112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whitby, E., Griffiths, P., Rutter, S., Smith, M., Sprigg, A., Ohadike, P.,. .. Paley, M. (2004). Frequency and natural history of subdural haemorrhages in babies and relation to obstetric factors. The Lancet, 363(9412), 846–851.

  • Yamashima, T., & Yamamoto, S. (1984). How do vessels proliferate in the capsule of a chronic subdural hematoma? Neurosurgery, 15(5), 672–678.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA

    Barbara Knox & Francois M. Luyet

  2. UW Child Protection Program, University of Wisconsin American Family Children’s Hospital, 600 Highland Ave, H4/428 Clinical Science Center, Madison, WI, 53792-4108, USA

    Barbara Knox & Francois M. Luyet

  3. Department of Pathology, Neurology, and Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4399, USA

    Lucy B. Rorke-Adams

  4. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 324 S 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Lucy B. Rorke-Adams

Authors
  1. Barbara Knox
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lucy B. Rorke-Adams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Francois M. Luyet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara Knox.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Knox, B., Rorke-Adams, L.B. & Luyet, F.M. Subdural Hematoma Rebleeding in Relation to Abusive Head Trauma. J Fam Viol 31, 815–821 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9842-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9842-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation