Decompressive hemicraniectomy for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is devastating, with high mortality rates, but its optimum management has not been fully established. Decompressive hemicraniectomy is a surgical procedure used to relieve the malignant elevation of intracranial pressure. The application of decompressive hemicraniectomy in patients with hemispheric ICH has been much less common, although several studies have shown the usefulness of this procedure for large hemispheric ICH. In this review, the present knowledge of the safety and efficacy of this procedure are evaluated. The authors conclude that decompressive hemicraniectomy with hematoma evacuation for large ICH might be a safe and effective procedure in patients with severely disturbed consciousness and large hematoma volume.