NEW YORK, March 20 (UPI) -- A new study has found that chronic subdural hemorrhage, or SDH, will be the most common adult brain disease in the United States to require neurosurgical intervention by 2030.
According to the study by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center, published Friday in the Journal of Neurosurgery, the expected increase in SDH cases may cause a shortage of hospitals and neurosurgeons throughout the country.
The findings show that subdural hemorrhage, or subdural hematoma, is bleeding on the surface of the brain, caused by trauma to the head, that can accumulate over time.
The condition is more of a health concern for the elderly due to a spike in brain atrophy. As a result, even the slightest head injuries can trigger SDH. The condition is also common in military veterans and those who suffer from alcohol abuse.
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"In 15 years, drainage for SDH will likely be the most common type of adult brain surgery performed, surpassing the number of operations required for brain tumors," Dr. Uzma Samadani, co-director of the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Veterans Center for the Study of Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury at NYU Langone, said in a press release.
"If we can identify patients at risk and prevent brain atrophy from occurring as Americans age, we may be able to slow this trend. If not, we are going to need increased neurosurgical and rehabilitation capacity to manage these patients."
After sifting through U.S. Veterans Administration records from 2000-2012, Dr. Samadani and her team found that 695 new SDH cases were confirmed, with 29 percent of these cases needing surgical draining. That equals to 79.4 SHD cases per 100,000 veterans in the United States. She also found that over 70 percent of SDH cases affected patients over 65.
Researchers also analyzed data from civilian populations in Finland and Japan where there are more accurate records of SDH incidence rates.
By 2030, Samadani concludes that in the U.S. there will be a whopping 17.6 cases per 100,000 people.
"We have a very large population of elderly and the last of the 77 million baby boomers will have turned 65 by 2030," said Samadani. "We can anticipate that 60,000 Americans per year will develop chronic SDHs. Knowing what is ahead of us gives us time to prepare."
