Cephalhematoma

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Cephalhematoma

A cephalhematoma (American English

American English

PhonologyIn many ways, compared to English language in England, North American English is conservative in its phonology. Some distinctive accents can be found on the East Coast of the United States , partly because these areas were in contact with England, and imitated prestigious varieties of English English at a time when those varieties we...
) or cephalhaematoma (British English

British English

British English or UK English is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere....
) is a hemorrhage of blood

Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's Cell s ? such as nutrients and oxygen ? and transports waste products away from those same cells....
between the skull

Skull

The skull is a bone structure found in the head of many animals. The skull supports the structures of the face and protects the head against injury....
and the periosteum

Periosteum

Periosteum is a membrane that lines the outer surface of all bone, except at the joints of long bones. Endosteum lines the inner surface of all bones....
of a newborn baby

Infant

An infant or baby is the term used to refer to the young offspring of humans....
secondary to rupture of blood vessels crossing the periosteum. Because the swelling is subperiosteal its boundaries are limited by the individual bones, in contrast to a chignon.

usual causes of a cephalhematoma are a prolonged second stage of labor

Childbirth

Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the delivery of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus. The process of normal human childbirth is categorized in three stages of labour: the shortening and dilation of the cervix, descent and delivery of the infant, and delivery of the placenta.....
or instrumental delivery, particularly ventouse

Ventouse

Ventouse is a vacuum device used to assist the delivery of a baby when childbirth has not progressed adequately. It is an alternative to a forceps in childbirth and caesarean section....
.

evere the child may develop jaundice

Jaundice

Jaundice, also known as icterus , is a yellowish discoloration of the skin, the conjunctival membranes over the sclera , and other mucous membranes caused by hyperbilirubinemia ....
, anemia

Anemia

Anemia or an?mia/anaemia is defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin, a protein found inside red blood cells ....
or hypotension

Hypotension

In physiology and medicine, hypotension refers to an abnormally low blood pressure. This is best understood as a physiologic state, rather than a disease....
.

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Causes

The usual causes of a cephalhematoma are a prolonged second stage of labor

Childbirth

Ventouse

Ventouse is a vacuum device used to assist the delivery of a baby when childbirth has not progressed adequately. It is an alternative to a forceps in childbirth and caesarean section....
.

Symptoms

If severe the child may develop jaundice

Jaundice

Jaundice, also known as icterus , is a yellowish discoloration of the skin, the conjunctival membranes over the sclera , and other mucous membranes caused by hyperbilirubinemia ....
, anemia

Anemia

Anemia or an?mia/anaemia is defined as a qualitative or quantitative deficiency of hemoglobin, a protein found inside red blood cells ....
or hypotension

Hypotension

In physiology and medicine, hypotension refers to an abnormally low blood pressure. This is best understood as a physiologic state, rather than a disease....
. In some cases it may be an indication of a linear skull fracture

Fracture

A fracture is the separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress .The word fracture is often applied to bones of living creatures, or to crystals or crystalline materials, such as gemstones or metal....
or be at risk of an infection leading to osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis is an infection of bone or bone marrow, usually caused by pyogenic bacteria or mycobacteria. It can be usefully subclassified on the basis of the causative organism, the route, duration and anatomic location of the infection....
or meningitis

Meningitis

Meningitis is a medical condition caused by inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges....
.

The swelling of a Cephalhematoma takes weeks to resolve as the blood clot is slowly absorbed from the periphery towards the centre. In time the swelling hardens (calcification) leaving a relatively softer centre so that it appears as a 'depressed fracture'.

Cephalhematoma should be distinguished from another scalp bleeding called Subgaleal hemorrhage

Subgaleal hemorrhage

Subgaleal hemorrhage or hematoma is bleeding in the potential space between the skull periosteum and the scalp galea aponeurosis.Causes...
(also called Subaponeurotic Hemorrhage), which is blood between the scalp and skull bone (above the periosteum) and is more extensive. It is more prone to complications, especially anemia and bruising.

Management

No laboratory studies usually are necessary. Skull Xray or CT scanning is used if neurological symptoms appear. Usual management is mainly observation. Transfusion and phototherapy are necessary if blood accumulation is significant. Aspiration is more likely to increase the risk of infection. The presence of a bleeding disorder should be considered. Skull radiography or CT scanning is also used if concomitant depressed skull fracture is a possibility.

Cephalhematoma

Causes

Symptoms

Management

See also