Controlled decompression for the treatment of severe head injury: a preliminary study.
OBJECTIVE
Fast direct decompression surgery for treatment of severe head injury often results in intraoperative and postoperative complications. Controlled decompression may help prevent these complications. This preliminary study aims to compare the effects of controlled and conventional decompression in patients with severe head injury.


METHODS
A total of 128 patients with severe head injury were included. Patients were allocated to receive either controlled decompression surgery (n = 64) or conventional decompressive craniectomy (n = 64). Controlled decompression comprised controlled ventricular drainage and controlled hematoma evacuation. The occurrence of delayed hematoma, acute brain swelling, and postoperative cerebral infarction were recorded.


RESULTS
Significantly lower proportion of patients in the controlled decompression group had intraoperative acute brain swelling compared to patients in the decompressive craniectomy group (9.4% vs 26.6%, P = 0.011). Intraoperative acute encephalocele occurred in 3 of 13 patients (23.1%) who had delayed hematoma in the controlled decompression group compared with 11 of 18 patients (61.1%) in the decompressive craniectomy group. There was no significant between group difference in the incidence of delayed hematoma or postoperative cerebral infarction.


CONCLUSIONS
Controlled decompression may reduce or delay intraoperative acute brain swelling by delaying hematoma formation in patients with severe head injury.
101 Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Department of Neurosurgery, XingYuan North Road, Wu Xi, Jiang Su, China.
Yuhai
Y
Wang
Chunli
C
Wang
Likun
L
Yang
Sang
S
Cai
Xuejian
X
Cai
Jirong
J
Dong
Jiandong
J
Zhang
Jun
J
Zhu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D004677:Encephalocele / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome