title: Frameless stereotactic aspiration and thrombolysis of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To test the feasibility and safety of a minimally invasive technique, we report our experience in treating spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients by using frameless stereotactic clot aspiration-thrombolysis and its effects on their 30-day survival. We compared the observed cohort mortality with its predicted 30-day ICH mortality, by using previously validated methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Selection criteria were diagnosis of hypertensive ICH > or =35 cc, reduced level of consciousness, and no brainstem compression. Frameless stereotactic puncture/clot aspiration followed by intraclot external catheter placement was performed. Two milligrams of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) was administered q12 hours until ICH volume < or =10 cc, or the catheter fenestrations were no longer in continuity with the clot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen patients were treated, mean age was 60.7 years. Hemorrhage locations included basal ganglia (13), thalamic (1), and lobar (1); mean systolic blood pressure; and admission ICH volumes were 229.3 mmHg and 59.1 cc, respectively. Median time from ictus to clot aspiration/thrombolysis was 1 (range 0-3) day. Mean hematoma volume was reduced to 17% of pretreatment size. Complications were ventriculitis (6.6%) and clot enlargement (13.3%). Two patients were dead at 30 days. Median Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores were 10.5 (4-15) at admission and 11.0 (3-15) at discharge. By using the most conservative estimate for analysis, probability of observing two or fewer deaths among 15 patients with an overall probability of dying calculated at 0.33 was p = 0.079.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this selected cohort of patients with ICH, stereotactic aspiration and thrombolytic washout seemed to be feasible and to have a trend towards improved 30-day survival, when using their predicted mortality data as "historical control." Complications did not exceed expected incidence rates. Based on the experience presented here as well as previous similar reports, a larger, randomized study addressing dose escalation, patient selection, and best therapeutic window is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Providence Hospital and Medical Centers, Southfield, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Rahat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Coplin
authors.forename: Samera
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Penelope M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Keyl
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Hanley
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: J Ricardo
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Carhuapoma
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator