title: [Quality of life following surgical treatment of malignant middle cerebral artery infarction].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little work has been published on the capacity to adapt to the disease of patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction who have undergone decompressive surgery. The purpose of this study is to analyse the final quality of life and the degree of satisfaction of patients and their relatives.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed 21 patients one year after their operation. The quality of life was evaluated using the Spanish version of the Sickness Impact Profile. In order to determine the degree of retrospective satisfaction, we asked relatives and patients whether, now that the patient's current sequelae are known, they would have still agreed to a decompressive craniectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The physical sphere is felt to be more disrupted than that concerning emotional aspects. There are no differences in the quality of life between patients who have the right or the left hemisphere affected. Patients with a better functional situation report a better quality of life. Altogether, 81% of patients said they were satisfied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the fact that all the patients show a loss of quality of life after a decompressive craniectomy, most of them seem to be satisfied with the treatment they have received, even in cases in which the dominant hemisphere is compromised or in those with a moderate-severe disability.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurocirugia, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, Albacete, España. aida_ar20@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antuña-Ramos
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suárez-Suárez
authors.forename: Marco Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Vega
authors.forename: Sayoa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Álvarez de Eulate-Beramendi
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seijo-Fernández
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life