Haematoma (surgical site)
Pronunciation: hee-mah-TOH-mah
A localised collection of blood outside blood vessels at an oral surgery wound site, representing a potential postoperative complication requiring monitoring or drainage.
Full Definition
A surgical-site haematoma in oral and maxillofacial surgery occurs when blood accumulates in the tissues following an operative procedure, most commonly due to inadequate haemostasis or a ruptured vessel. Haematomas in the floor of the mouth or neck are of particular clinical concern as they can compromise the airway. In clinical documentation, editors must use the British English spelling 'haematoma' in UK publications and 'hematoma' in American English publications, and must not confuse the term with 'ecchymosis' (superficial bruising) or 'seroma' (serous fluid collection). The plural is 'haematomas' or 'haematomata'.
Usage
Usage note: British English: 'haematoma'; American English: 'hematoma'. Standardise spelling throughout a document. Do not confuse with 'seroma' (clear fluid) or 'ecchymosis' (bruising without fluid collection). Floor-of-mouth haematomas carry airway risk and this should be reflected in clinical severity language.
In Context
- "A rapidly expanding haematoma in the right submandibular space was identified on the first postoperative day and required urgent surgical evacuation." — Postoperative Complication Report
- "The copy-editor standardised 'hematoma' to 'haematoma' throughout the manuscript in accordance with the journal's British English style guide." — Copy-editing Note