What can cause encephalomalacia?

Encephalomalacia can be caused by stroke, or by severe brain swelling that interrupts cerebral blood flow. Removal of tumors may leave areas of brain softening, but one preventable cause is serious head trauma.

How do you prevent encephalomalacia?

There is no direct treatment or cure for encephalamalacia. However, doctors may attempt to treat the underlying cause of the condition, which cannot be reversed. In some cases, surgery may be performed to remove the part of the brain affected by the softening.

What is the life expectancy of encephalomalacia?

Survival ranged from 27 to 993 days.

What happens when you have encephalomalacia?

An individual suffering from encephalomalacia will experience a number of symptoms, all of which involve a loss of function. These symptoms can include somnolence (extreme drowsiness), blindness, ataxia (wobbliness and lack of coordination), sleep walking, head pressing, circling, and, eventually, terminal coma.

Does encephalomalacia get worse?

The short answer is yes. Some brain injuries do get worse over time. Secondary brain injuries are complications that arise after the initial injury, such as hematomas or infections. Sometimes these injuries cut off blood circulation to certain portions of the brain, killing neurons.

How quickly does encephalomalacia progress?

The US appearance of the brain may be normal within the first 2 weeks after the inciting event. After 10 to 14 days, the echogenicity of affected areas of deep white matter increases.

Can encephalomalacia cause stroke?

Encephalomalacia can be caused by stroke or by severe brain swelling that interrupts cerebral blood flow. Signs and symptoms include severe headaches, dizziness, vertigo, memory loss and mood swings (if the frontal lobe of the brain is affected), diminished coordination, visual impairment, amongst others.