title: A novel simple measure correlates to the outcome in 57 patients with intracerebellar hematomas. Results of a retrospective analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of intracerebellar hemorrhages approaches 5-10% of all intracerebral hematomas. The clinical presentation varies from headaches and dizziness to rapid deterioration of consciousness to the point of coma in severe cases. In order to find some concrete criteria that could influence the prognosis of these patients, we performed this retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the factors influencing the outcome of 57 patients with intracerebellar hematomas treated in our clinic in the last 7 years. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on admission, as well as other parameters as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, presence of malign tumors in the medical history, or the intake of anticoagulants were assessed as independent factors influencing the outcome of the patients. On the other hand, various computed tomography parameters on admission were also correlated with the clinical outcome such as, tight posterior fossa (TPF), volume of the hematoma, hydrocephalus, compression of the fourth ventricle, intraventricular bleeding, as well as the ratio of the maximal width of the hematoma in comparison to the width of the PF were taken into consideration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the study showed that patients with poor GCS on admission had also a poor Glasgow Outcome Score. Interestingly there was a statistically significant correlation between the maximal width of the hematoma in comparison to the width of the PF and the outcome of the patients. It could be also shown that the patients with intraventricular hemorrhage, hydrocephalus, compression of the fourth ventricle over 50% of its maximal width and TPF, had a poor clinical outcome. Moreover, there was a statistically significant correlation of the volume of the hematoma and a poor clinical outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We introduced as a new factor that is, the cerebellar hemorrhage/PF ratio and found out that the value >35% was associated to an unfavorable outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Clinics Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doukas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Clinic Essen, Campus Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Homajoun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maslehaty
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Clinics Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics and Statistics, University Clinics Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hedderich
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Clinic Düsseldorf, Campus Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Athanasios K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Petridis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Clinics Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: H Maximilian
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mehdorn
keywords: Intracerebellar hemorrhage; outcome; posterior fossa; risk factors; volume