Progressive neurological deficit due to neglected dural repair in war casualties

ABSTRACT

One hundred patients underwent elective cranioplasty for high velocity missile injury of the head during a 30-month-period study and investigation in Amiralmomenin Hospital affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. Deep penetrating wounds were the most frequent injuries seen during this study. Three patients presented with massive bone defects and progressive neurological deficit and during the operation it was noted that dural repair had not been done. It was suggested that intermittent brain herniation was the probable cause of progressive brain damage