Atrophic brain at high risk in neurosurgery: report of a case complicated by postoperative intracerebral hemorrhage and tension pneumocephalus.

The author reports a patient whose postoperative course was complicated by the coexistence of subcortical hematoma contralateral to the operative site and tension pneumocephalus. This case report and review of the literature suggest that these two complications are both attributed to the intraoperative procedure, which rapidly and greatly relaxes the brain. The potential risk of neurosurgical procedures for an atrophic brain, in which such complications are apt to occur, is discussed.