[The spontaneous cerebral hematoma (author's transl)].

This retrospective study from two hospitals is about a hundred patients who have been operated upon a spontaneous cerebral hematoma. By a spontaneous cerebral hematoma we mean a hematoma without a proven tumor, without aneurysm, without arteriovenous malformation, without preceding trauma, without aortical phlebitis and without pathology of the vessel-wall. In this study patients with coagulopathy, arterial hypertension and artherosclerosis are included. In order to comply with these conditions an angiography will have to take place pre-operatively as well as postoperatively. Moreover histological examination of the wall of the hematoma will have to be done. The etiology of the spontaneous cerebral hematoma is not clear in most cases. The indication to operate, the way of operating and the moment in which the operation takes place, vary strongly in medical literature. We operate when there is an aggravation of the clinical picture, persisting severe headache and neurological paresis which does not improve. As a rule we abide for one week before operating, if the clinical picture allows this. After the operation unconscious patients may recover and a hemiparesis may improve. The best way of diagnosing a cerebral hematoma is computerised tomography.