When a patient presents to an emergency department with the new onset of headache, lethargy or altered mental status without the development of a “focal” neurological deficit, it is imperative that intracranial hemorrhage be high in the differential diagnosis list. One can suffer a subarachnoid hemorrhage or an intracerebral hemorrhage without focal neurological deficit but with severe headache and altered mental status. What should be done to evaluate such a patient? A CT scan of the head. When should it be performed? quickly. Why? Because the causes of subarachnoid hemorrhages are treatable if diagnosed and treated before the lesion rebleeds. The same is applicable to arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)within the brain.
ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATION HEMORRHAGE MUST BE RECOGNIZED IN A TIMELY FASHION TO ALLOW FOR NECESSARY TREATMENT
May 21, 2010 by
About RolandRoland was born in Nashville, Tennessee and raised in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. The first few years he resided in Paris, France with his mother who was French. In Hendersonville, he attended Beech Senior High School where played soccer and studied in the honors curriculum. Subsequently, he pursued two majors in political science and economics while graduating in three years.
