The authors summarise their experience with 16 post-traumatic cerebral haematomas which they evacuated using stereotactic technique. Based on the achieved results they reached the conclusion that stereotactically aimed treatment of haematomas is an advance, for the patient's benefit. The evacuation cannula is safely inserted to its target from a transcutaneous drill hole of the skull and thus the patient is spared the surgical trauma associated with craniotomy and further brain damage. If necessary, the focus of haemorrhage can be reached again by puncture via the channel in the bone which navigates the cannula. Surgery under local anaesthesia is rapid and the results of promising. Extension of the new method depends, however, on the availability of simple stereotactic equipment which starts to play a part in the surgery of traumatic haematomas.

Neurochirurgická klinika FN Brno Bohunice