BACKGROUND: Acute occlusion of the major cerebral arteries results in ischaemic changes to the brain, without time for reperfusion by the collateral circulation. The subsequent cellular events lead to a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, causing malignant cerebral edema manifested clinically by a rapid neurological deterioration. The aim of this study was to determine the value of surgical decompression in patients who present with acute cerebral infarction. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients with deteriorating consciousness level from massive cerebral ischemia and secondary edema, treated by decompressive craniectomy. RESULTSThere were 10 patients over a 2-year period from 1997-99, consisting of seven male and three female patients (mean age 47.56 years) with a mean preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 6/15. Three patients had dominant middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction, four had nondominant MCA infarction, one had posterior cerebral artery infarction, and the remaining two had cerebellar infarction. At a mean follow-up period of 7 months, two patients had died (20% mortality), four patients (40%) were vegetative or severely disabled, and the remaining four patients (40%) had mild disability or good outcome. Favorable prognostic factors were younger age (less than 50 years) and good initial GCS score (14 or better). CONCLUSION: Decompressive craniectomy in the setting of acute brain swelling from cerebral infarction is a life-saving procedure and should be considered in younger patients who have a rapidly deteriorating neurologic status.
BACKGROUND: Acute occlusion of the major cerebral arteries results in ischaemic changes to the brain, without time for reperfusion by the collateral circulation. The subsequent cellular events lead to a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, causing malignant cerebral edema manifested clinically by a rapid neurological deterioration. The aim of this study was to determine the value of surgical decompression in patients who present with acute cerebral infarction. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients with deteriorating consciousness level from massive cerebral ischemia and secondary edema, treated by decompressive craniectomy. RESULTSThere were 10 patients over a 2-year period from 1997-99, consisting of seven male and three female patients (mean age 47.56 years) with a mean preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 6/15. Three patients had dominant middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction, four had nondominant MCA infarction, one had posterior cerebral artery infarction, and the remaining two had cerebellar infarction. At a mean follow-up period of 7 months, two patients had died (20% mortality), four patients (40%) were vegetative or severely disabled, and the remaining four patients (40%) had mild disability or good outcome. Favorable prognostic factors were younger age (less than 50 years) and good initial GCS score (14 or better). CONCLUSION: Decompressive craniectomy in the setting of acute brain swelling from cerebral infarction is a life-saving procedure and should be considered in younger patients who have a rapidly deteriorating neurologic status.
Authors: Arnold Cheung; Christopher K Telaghani; Jianli Wang; Qing Yang; Timothy J Mosher; Raymond K Reichwein; Kevin M Cockroft Journal: Neurocrit Care Date: 2005 Impact factor: 3.210
Authors: David B Kurland; Ariana Khaladj-Ghom; Jesse A Stokum; Brianna Carusillo; Jason K Karimy; Volodymyr Gerzanich; Juan Sahuquillo; J Marc Simard Journal: Neurocrit Care Date: 2015-10 Impact factor: 3.210
Authors: Martin Bendszus; Wolfgang Müllges; Roland Goldbrunner; Alexandra Weigand; Laszlo Solymosi Journal: Eur Radiol Date: 2002-10-12 Impact factor: 5.315