Chronic subdural hematomas treated by burr hole trepanation and a subperiostal drainage system.
OBJECTIVE
Most symptomatic chronic subdural hematomas are treated by subdural drainage. However, a subperiostal (i.e., extracranial) passive closed-drainage system in combination with double burr hole trepanation is used at our institution. Therefore, we wanted to analyze our results and compare them with the alternate treatment strategies reported in the current literature.


METHODS
In a retrospective single-center study, we analyzed the data of all patients undergoing double burr hole trepanation with a subperiostal passive closed-drainage system. Data analysis included general patient data, complications, postoperative seizure rate, and outcome.


RESULTS
One hundred forty-seven patients underwent surgery for 183 symptomatic chronic subdural hematomas. The perioperative mortality rate was 3.4%. Hematoma persistence or recurrence occurred in 13.1% of the cases. The postoperative seizure rate was 6.6%, and the infection rate was 1.6%, including 3 cases of superficial wound infection and 1 case with deep infection. The reintervention rate was 9.3%, including trepanation in 8.2% of the patients and craniotomy in 1.1%. The overall complication rate was 10.9%.


CONCLUSIONS
Double burr hole trepanation combined with a subperiostal passive closed-drainage system is a technically easy, highly effective, safe, and cost-efficient treatment strategy for symptomatic chronic subdural hematomas. The absence of a drain in direct contact with the hematoma capsule may moderate the risk of postoperative seizure and limit the secondary spread of infection to intracranial compartments.
Zumofen
Daniel
D
Department of Neurosurgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Regli
Luca
L
Levivier
Marc
M
Krayenbühl
Niklaus
N
D003399:Craniotomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004322:Drainage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D020200:Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome