Cephalhematoma

A Cephalhematoma (. AltGr κεφαλή head and αἷμα blood ) is a bruise ( hematoma) under the periosteum of a skull bone, mostly of the parietal bone in the newborn, which is caused by the action of shear forces during childbirth.

Mechanism

Due to the tangential forces acting it comes to tearing of small vessels in the periosteum. The resulting blood flow lifts the periosteum of the skull bones. Since this is attached to the edges, impressed the hematoma as sagging, bulging later elastic swelling, which is limited by the cranial sutures.

In contrast, the birth tumor exceeds this mostly. Occasionally there is a small fissure or incomplete fracture of the skull bone. Complications increased neonatal jaundice or anemia may occur. The absorption takes place over the course of several weeks to months, often in the form of ossification from the edge, which has a softer depression in the middle and can be confused with a depressed fracture.

Therapy

A therapy such as by puncture is not only unnecessary, because the hematoma regresses by itself, but can even be increased complications in the form of infection caused by the puncture or iron deficiency (because the blood would just run after in the hematoma ) lead.

In severe Kephalhämatomen a newborn jaundice may develop. Therefore phototherapy are indicated in this situation regular Bilirubinkontrollen and hyperbilirubinemia if necessary.

• Disease in pediatrics
• Disease in gynecology and obstetrics
• Neonatology