A localized collection of blood, usually clotted, in a tissue or organ.
Can occur almost anywhere on the body.
Tends to result from breakage of a vein or other blood vessel.
Simple lesions may result from minor trauma.
In minor injuries the blood is absorbed.
Contusions and black eyes, subungual hematoma, are common forms of hematoma.
Almost always present with a fracture.
May be serious when they occur inside the skull, where they may place local pressure on the brain, notably epidural and subdural hematomas
Hematomas that occur intracranially may require drainage.
Treatment for contusions include the application of ice or cold packs to produce vasoconstriction to decrease hemorrhage and edema.
Pressure in the form of an elastic adhesive bandage may be helpful to reduce hemorrhage and swelling.
During surgery, damage to surrounding blood vessels can cause hematomas.
The greater the amount of bleeding that occurs, the larger the amount of clot formation.
Blood vessels that are fragile may result in a hematoma formation.
People who take anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs are at risk for the development of hematomas as such medications increase the potential for spontaneous bleeding and for hematomas to expand because the body cannot efficiently repair blood vessels and blood continues to leak through the damaged areas.