Novel method for detecting brain abnormality in a patient with epidural hematoma: a case report.

An estimated 1.5 million head injuries occur in the United States each year, with approximately 2% resulting in epidural hematomas. Epidural hematomas can be difficult to recognize clinically because the patient may not have a loss of consciousness or may have a brief loss of consciousness with a normal neurological examination. It is important to recognize patients with epidurals because the reported mortality for unrecognized epidural hematoma is as high as 40%. We report a novel method of identifying brain abnormality in a patient with a normal neurological examination result using a bedside handheld automated electroencephalogram device.