Chronic subdural hematomas are hemorrhages in the head that occur on the surface of the brain, between the hard and soft meninges. They typically occur in elderly patients, and their development may be provoked by the use of blood-thinning medications. Usually, even minor trauma is sufficient to cause a subdural hemorrhage, and often no trauma is remembered at all. Patients with chronic subdural hematomas are often asymptomatic initially, but headache and dizziness may occur as the condition progresses. An increase in size can lead to neurological deficits such as arm or leg weakness as well as speech disorders due to pressure on a specific brain region.

In patients with small subdural hematomas and no symptoms, a conservative, i.e. wait-and-see approach can be chosen. However, if symptoms are present, surgical therapy is pursued and the hematoma is evacuated.

In chronic subdural hematomas, new membranes form in the course, which are supplied via arterial vessels. However, these new vessels are "leaky" which contributes to the fact that patients are often prone to rebleeding. In recent years, a new therapeutic approach has been introduced. This involves endovascular closure of the middle meningeal artery, which is a major contributor to rebleeding. A thin catheter is navigated into the vessel and the vessel is occluded or the inflow is reduced by means of a tissue adhesive (embolization agent).