Abstract: Objective To study the ultrastructure of cortex tissue adjacent to traumatic intracranial hematoma(TIH) and the variation of severity according to the distance to the core of the hematoma.Methods The specimens were obtained from patients suffering from TIH October 2003 to February 2004.The specimen were from two sites adjacent to the core of TIH.One is from the just adjacent to TIH(adjacent area,AA),and the other is 0.5 cm farther AA (periphery area,PA).Transmission electron microscope(TEM) examination was undertaken in all specimens.Results Totally 23 patients(46 specimen) were available for the study.The TEM demonstrated severe ultrastructure damage in the tissue adjacent to TIH,including neuron,glial cell,axon,blood brain barrier(BBB),etc.The severity of AA is less than PA.Conclusion Significant ultrastructure damage develop in tissue adjacent TIH.The glial cell,as astrocyte,act as important role to support neuron and BBB.The severity of damage decreases with the increasing distance.Some component of tissue adjacent to TIH is still viable if the postoperative treatment is sufficient,therefore this part is worth preserving.

Key words: traumatic intracerebral hematoma, ultrastructure, neuron, astrocyte