title: [Malignant cerebral infarction and hemicraniectomy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malignant cerebral infarction has 80% mortality rate that could be decreased by hemicraniectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated medical records of all 12 consecutive patients who underwent hemicraniectomy due to malignant cerebral infarction in Kuopio university hospital between 2003 and 2/2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infarction affected left hemisphere in 4/12 patients and right hemisphere in 8/12 patients. 50% of the patients (6/12) survived. Operation delay was not associated with outcome. Systolic blood pressure in acute phase was significantly lower in survivors as compared to non-survivors (126 +/- 8 mmHg vs 154 +/- 12 mmHg, p < 0.001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Selected patients with malignant cerebral infarction benefit from hemicraniectomy.
authors.affiliation: KYS ja Kuopion yliopisto, neurologian klinikka PL 1777, 70211 Kuopio.
authors.forename: Sakari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simula
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koivisto
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rinne
authors.forename: Ritva
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vanninen
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jäkälä
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome