title: Long-term outcome in elderly patients after operation for traumatic intracranial hemorrhage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined outcomes in elderly TBI patients who underwent a cranial operation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified TBI patients > or = 65 who underwent a cranial operation from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2008. Data collected included: age, admission GCS, mechanism of injury, ISS, Head AIS, type of operation, hemorrhage acuity, time to operation, pre-hospital warfarin or clopidogrel, and in-hospital death. Survivors were contacted by phone to determine an Extended Glasgow Outcome Score (GOSE). A favorable outcome was defined as having a GOSE of > or = 5 at follow-up, an unfavorable outcome was defined as: in-hospital death, death within one year of injury, and a GOSE < 5 at follow-up. Chi-square and student's t-test were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred sixty-four elderly TBI patients underwent cranial surgery. Mean age was 79.2 +/- 7.6 years. Most patients: had a ground level fall (86.0%), suffered a subdural hematoma (95.1%), and underwent craniotomy (89.0%). Twenty-eight percent died in the hospital and another 20.1% died within one year. Fifty-six patients were eligible for a GOSE interview of these: 17 were lost to follow-up, seven refused the GOSE interview, 22 had a GOSE > or = 5, and ten had a GOSE < 5. Mean follow-up was 42.6 +/- 14.9 months. Of all the factors analyzed, only older age was associated with an unfavorable outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While age was associated with outcome, we were unable to demonstrate any other early factors that were associated with long-term functional outcome in elderly patients that underwent a cranial operation for TBI.
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cipolle
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Geffe
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Getchell
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fulda
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugarman
authors.forename: Glen H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Tinkoff
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003399:Craniotomy; D005260:Female; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D020198:Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome