On January 28, just before being hospitalized, Governor Yuji Kuroiwa (right) attended a press conference with “DB. Starman,” the local mascot for Kanagawa Prefecture’s 33 municipalities, and DeNA owner Tomoko Nanba. Chronic subdural hematoma spreads in the brain over several weeks to months Kanagawa Governor Yuji Kuroiwa (71), who had been hospitalized for surgery to treat a chronic subdural hematoma, has been discharged. He is reportedly recovering well and is expected to return to official duties. On his social media, Governor Kuroiwa revealed that the condition was caused by a fall into an outdoor bath on New Year’s Eve, during which he struck the back of his head. The term chronic subdural hematoma may be unfamiliar to some. What makes this condition particularly insidious is that its cause is often not a major accident or severe trauma, but rather events that occur in the normal course of daily life, making it easy to overlook. “Tripped lightly,” “fell on my butt,” “bumped my head a little a few months ago” Even minor incidents like these can later lead to life-threatening situations. This warning comes from Dr. Satoshi Ozaki, director of Ebina Neurosurgery Clinic. Chronic subdural hematoma is a condition in which blood gradually collects under the dura mater on the surface of the brain, and over time, the hematoma grows larger. Dr. Ozaki explains: “A key feature of chronic subdural hematoma is that symptoms do not appear immediately. Even if a person seems fine right after a fall, weeks or months later they may experience dizziness, headaches, or memory problems. Often, neither the person nor those around them realize anything is wrong, dismissing it as fatigue or aging. What’s particularly tricky is that the person may not remember hitting their head. With minor falls, memory of the incident is often absent. Elderly individuals in particular may not even recognize a fall as an event worth noting.” What symptoms should raise suspicion for chronic subdural hematoma? “It often accumulates on one side of the brain, so symptoms tend to appear on one side, creating a left-right asymmetry. For example, dragging one leg, tripping, weakness in one hand, numbness on one side of the body, or difficulty moving one side of the mouth. While these symptoms resemble a stroke, chronic subdural hematoma is often treatable, which makes early detection critical.”