Coronal Left Subarachnoid Hematoma with Enlarged Details

SKU: S02067

This exhibit features a coronal section of the brain and two enlarged details, highlighting the effects of a subarachnoid hematoma. Skin, subcutaneous fat, galea aponeurotica, and pericranium cover the outer skull. The inner skull is lined with endocranium and dura mater. The dura mater is a tough, membranous sac that protects the brain. It also contains cerebrospinal fluid and the venous sinuses. Beneath the dura lies the leptomeninges (arachnoid mater and pia mater), which cover the brain and contain cerebrospinal fluid. Cerebral arteries travel through the subdural spaces and supply blood to the brain tissues. Trauma to the head causes injury to the cerebral arteries, leading to the formation of a hematoma in the subarachnoid space. As intracranial pressure increases, the brain shifts to the right to accommodate the hematoma. This causes the left temporal lobe to herniate inferiorly through the tentorium cerebelli. Cerebral artery compression also deprives the brain of blood and oxygen. This leads to swelling of the brain and further compression of intracerebral structures.