Efficacy of large decompressive craniectomy in severe traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of large decompressive craniectomy (LDC) in the management of severe and very severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and compare it with routine decompressive craniectomy (RDC).


METHODS
The clinical data of 263 patients with severe TBI (GCS < or = 8) treated by either LDC or RDC in our department were studied retrospectively in this article. One hundred and thirty-five patients with severe TBI, including 54 patients with very severe TBI (GCS < or = 5), underwent LDC (LDC group). The other 128 patients with severe TBI, including 49 patients with very severe TBI, underwent RDC (RDC group). The treatment outcome and postoperative complications of the two treatment methods were compared and analyzed in a 6-month follow-up period.


RESULTS
Ninety-six patients (71.7 %) obtained satisfactory treatment outcome in the LDC group, while only 75 cases (58.6 %) obtained satisfactory outcome in the RDC group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the efficacy of LDC in treating very severe TBI was higher than that of RDC (63.0 % vs. 36.7 %, P < 0.01). The chance of reoperation due to refractory intracranial pressure (ICP) in the LDC group was significantly lower than that of the RDC group (P < 0.05), while the incidences of delayed intracranial hematoma and subdural effusion were significantly higher than those of the RDC group ( P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
LDC is superior to RDC in improving the treatment outcome of severe TBI, especially the very severe ones. LDC can also efficiently reduce the chances of reoperation due to refractory ICP. However, it increases the incidences of delayed intracranial hematoma and contralateral subdural effusion.
Li
Gu
G
Department of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
Wen
Liang
L
Yang
Xiao-feng
XF
Zheng
Xiu-jue
XJ
Zhan
Ren-ya
RY
Liu
Wei-guo
WG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007427:Intracranial Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged