Ultrasound-guided needle aspiration of epidural hematoma in a neonate after vacuum-assisted delivery.

INTRODUCTION

Epidural hematoma (EDH) is a rare complication of vacuum-assisted delivery in neonates. Although the standard treatment of EDH is surgical evacuation via craniotomy, it is an invasive procedure in neonates, and less invasive methods may be favored for hematoma evacuation.

CASE REPORT: We report a case of 5-day-old infant with a massive EDH, cephalohematoma, and a depressed fracture, which were secondary to a vacuum-assisted delivery and cured by ultrasound-guided needle aspiration and drainage. Neonatal EDH may be different from adult counterpart in that the former is more liquefied and is amenable to needle aspiration than the latter. Although needle aspiration is a blind procedure, addition of transcranial ultrasound not only ensures safety by visualizing the tip of the needle but also makes real-time evaluation of the residual hematoma volume possible.