RESUMO
Head trauma is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. The pathophysiology and clinical outcomes of head trauma differ between children and adults. Traumatic mass lesions such as subdural and epidural hematomas occur less frequently in children and, when present, are associated with lower mortality. Subdural hematoma is the collection of blood on the cortical surface beneath the dura with bleeding from bridging veins or cortical arteries. These hematomas are usually associated with trauma. Chronic subdural hematomas are much more common in infants and frequently exist as a single entity; it is rare for chronic subdural fluid accumulations to occur after one year of age. Specific traumatic events are usually unrecognized or unreported. In rare instances, subdural hematoma may indicate an underlying bleeding disorder, hematological malignancy or benign expansion of subarachnoid space. We report the dramatic presentation of a strikingly large calcified chronic subdural hematoma in a 5-year-old with increased intracranial pressure and subfalcine herniation.