title: Chronic subdural haematomas: a comparative study of an enlarged single burr hole versus double burr hole drainage.
abstract: Various surgical treatments have been proposed for the treatment of chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH). Herewith, we set out to compare the efficacy of an enlarged single burr hole versus double burr hole drainage for the treatment of CSDH. We studied patients with symptomatic CSDH proven by CT scan that were treated in our institute between January 2002 and January 2009. All patients were treated by an enlarged single or double burr hole drainage. A subdural drain was placed in all cases. A total of 245 patients were included in the study. Double hole drainage was performed in 156 (63.7%) patients (group A) and an enlarged single burr hole drainage in 89 (36.3%) patients (group B). There were nine recurrences in group A and five in group B; however, the difference was not statistically significant. There was no significant relationship between recurrence rate and age, gender, bilateral haematoma and antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy. There was a trend towards higher risk of recurrence for patients with residual clots on postoperative CT scan. The mean hospitalization time was 6.2 days, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. No significant difference was found between patients' outcome, as assessed by Glasgow outcome scale score, and treatment method. Enlarged single burr hole and double burr hole drainage had the same efficacy in the treatment of CSDH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Ioannina, PO Box 103, Neohoropoulo, Ioannina, 45500, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pahatouridis
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Alexiou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fotakopoulos
authors.forename: Evaggelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mihos
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zigouris
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drosos
authors.forename: Spyridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Voulgaris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D020200:Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D016683:Supine Position; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult