Decompressive Craniectomy for Intracerebral Hemorrhage?

The results were mixed in a trial evaluating the addition of decompressive hemicraniectomy to medical therapy in patients with severe intracerebral hemorrhage.

Open craniotomy for treatment of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has had a history of mostly negative results. Another surgical approach that has not been extensively studied for ICH is decompressive craniectomy (DC) without evacuation of the hemorrhage. These authors conducted a partially industry-funded, randomized trial of DC plus medical therapy versus medical therapy alone in patients aged 18 to 75 with deep ICH involving the basal ganglia or thalamus (clot volume, 30–100 mL). The trial was prematurely halted due to lack of funding after 8.5 years. The authors analyzed data on the 197 enrolled patients (median age, 61; 32% women), The median time from symptom onset to randomization was 24 hours (median hematoma volume, 57 …

Reviewing Author

Seemant Chaturvedi, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBayer Pharmaceuticals; Novartis

Grant/Research SupportNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Editorial BoardsNeurology; Stroke

Seemant Chaturvedi, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBayer Pharmaceuticals; Novartis

Grant/Research SupportNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Editorial BoardsNeurology; Stroke

Decompressive Craniectomy for Intracerebral Hemorrhage?

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Reviewing Author