Surgical Outcome Following Evacuation of Traumatic Intracranial Hematomas in the Elderly.
- Author:
Seok Mann YOON
1
;
Kyeong Seok LEE
;
Jae Hack LEE
;
Jae Won DOH
;
Hack Gun BAE
;
Il Gyu YUN
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Soonchunhyang University Chunan Hospital, Chunan, Korea. smyoon@schch.co.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Craniotomy;
Head injury;
Glassgow coma scale;
Elderly;
Pupil
- MeSH:
Aged*;
Coma;
Craniocerebral Trauma;
Craniotomy;
Female;
Humans;
Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic*;
Male;
Mortality;
Pupil;
Retrospective Studies
- From:Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
2003;33(5):477-482
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the factors influencing the surgical outcome following craniotomy for head injury and to establish the criteria for surgical intervention in the age of 65 years or older. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the mechanism of injury, types of computed tomography lesions, Glassgow coma scale(GCS) score at admission, pupillary reactivity, past medical history and surgical outcome following craniotomy in the elderly during 8 year period. RESULTS: There were 35 men and 21 women with a mean age of 70.7 years(range 65-87 years). The mortality rate at discharge was 58.9%. Good outcome was achieved only in 25 percent of the patients. The cause of injury did not affect on the surgical outcome. All of 19 patients with GCS of 5 or less at admission had poor outcome. Outcome was significantly worse in older patients(more than 75 years) compare to younger patients(less than 75 years). Ninety percent of the patients with pupillary abnormality had poor outcome, whereas 57.7 percent of the patients with bilateral reactive pupil had poor outcome. Past medical history did not affect on the surgical outcome following craniotomy. CONCLUSION: Surgical outcome is unexceptionally poor in the elderly head-injuried patients if the age is 75 years old or older, the GCS is 5 or less and the pupil is bilaterally dilated. Craniotomy under those circumstances is not desirable.
