We present a remarkable image of a woman, 24 weeks pregnant, who sustained polytrauma after a high-speed motor vehicle collision. Evaluation revealed traumatic bilateral subdural hematoma in the fetus and an unstable T12-L1 fracture in the patient. The standard of care for her unstable fracture was surgical fixation; however, this was hampered by the desire to continue the pregnancy in the interest of the premature fetus. This case presented a unique additional consideration in the management of the polytrauma neurosurgery patient and underscores the importance of coordinated team work and patient counseling to achieve the optimal patient outcome. Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Christopher C Young, Christoph P Hofstetter. Traumatic Fetal Subdural Hematoma and Unstable Maternal Spine Fracture. World neurosurgery. 2020 Oct;142:368-370
PMID: 32683009
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