Experimental Intracerebral Hematoma

Introduction This study was designed to determine the characteristic features of the gross and microscopic pathologic changes that occur in response to an intracerebral collection of fresh blood, to aid in distinguishing such a pathologic process at any stage from residual changes of a cerebral infarct. It was also the intent to determine whether evidence could be obtained to substantiate the idea that some intracerebral hematomas enlarge during their course by taking on additional fluid either from the adjacent tissue fluids or from the ventricles. The arguments among pathologists concerning whether an old cerebral lesion represents the residual from a hemorrhage or an infarct go back for more than 100 years as, for example, the vehement argument of Rochoux¹directed toward Durand-Fardel²in 1844. There is merit in making this distinction, since it is such information that influences the mortality and survival figures and the statistics concerning incidence