Acute hypertensive subdural hematoma from arterial rupture shortly after the onset of cerebral subcortical hemorrhage: leakage of contrast medium during angiography.

A case is reported of a Japanese female in whom acute right subdural hematoma due to the spontaneous rupture of the posterior branch of the right central artery occurred shortly after the onset of hypertensive subcortical hemorrhage of the right occipital lobe. Marked hypertension persisted. There was no evidence of subdural hematoma when a small collection of extravasated contrast medium from the cortical artery was revealed during right carotid angiography. Soon thereafter the patient became comatose and developed decerebrate posturing. Computed tomography scan was done immediately and a large subdural hematoma was identified. There was a gratifying response to prompt recognition and neurosurgical therapy of the condition. The pinpoint rupture of the cortical artery is considered to have occurred during marked hypertension. Previous 39 cases with subdural hematomas from arterial rupture, 27 traumatic and 12 spontaneous nontraumatic, are reviewed.