Epidemiology of chronic subdural haematoma.

During the seven year period 1967-1973 a total of 64 residents of the City of Helsinki were diangosed as having chronic subdural haematomas. Forty of the patients were diagnosed during life at the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Helsinki, and treated surgically. Twenty four were diagnosed at autopsy at the Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, at which the autopsies in virtually all cases of subdural haematoma in Helsinki are performed. The total of 64 cases gives an incidence of 1.72/100,000/year in the average population, the incidence increasing steeply with advancing age up to 7.35/100,000/year in the age groups 70-79 years.