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Definition of Hematoma

The word hematoma or haematoma was taken from Greek roots haima, referring to the blood, and toma, indicating an abnormality. Hematoma is an anomalous collection of blood, usually partially clotted, that forms OUTSIDE the vessels (i.e. in a tissue, body space or internal organ).

What does a hematoma look like?

A hematoma is characterized by swelling, softness at the injury area, a feeling of tearing inside the injured location, and appearance of bruises just after the injury.

What are the causes of hematoma?

Hematoma is usually caused by hemorrhage or internal bleeding due to a break that occurs in the wall of a blood vessel, making the blood to drip into and accumulate in the surrounding area. The break can be spontaneous such as in the case of an aneurysm, or caused by external impact or trauma. Another possible cause of the break is surgery. Postoperative hematoma is hematoma that occurs after surgery. After surgery, the damage to surrounding blood vessels can cause hematomas to form. The blood typically oozes from small vessels that were retracted and not visible to be seen and tied during surgery. Patients that are on a blood thinner or have some blood disorder are more prone to this kind of hematoma. Postoperative hematomas tend to slow down healing.

Where does hematoma occur?

Hematoma can occur almost on any part of the body, but is usually located within an organ or a soft tissue space, especially within a muscle. Hematomas may also gradually diffuse or move into the connective tissues. For example, injury at the base of a thumb might cause a hematoma that will slowly move all through the finger within a week. Gravity is the main factor of this process.

How long does a hematoma last?

There really is no set time on how long before a hematoma completely goes away as it depends on many factors, including its severity and the location affected. In most cases, the clotted blood eventually dissolves in days or weeks unless there is infection. However, in some cases they may continue to persist or even grow. If the mass of clotted blood does not disappear, then it may need to be surgically removed.

Types of Hematoma

There are many different kinds of hematomas, which generally are defined by location. Less serious types include subungual hematoma (under a fingernail or toenail); aural hematoma (in the tissues of the outer ear, better known as cauliflower ear); and perianal hematoma (under the skin around the anus).

The deadliest ones are epidural and subdural hematomas that occur inside the skull, where they may place local pressure on the brain. Other types of hematomas include:

• nasal hematoma
• abdominal hematoma
• spinal hematoma
• scrotal hematoma
• subchorionic hematoma
• retroperitoneal hematoma
• subcutaneous hematoma
• retroplacental hematoma
• uterine hematoma