title: Burr-Hole Drainage for Chronic Subdural Hematoma Under Low-Dose Acetylsalicylic Acid: A Comparative Risk Analysis Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is one of the most common neurosurgical diseases typically affecting older people. Many of these patients have coronary artery disease and receive antiplatelet therapy, usually acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). Despite growing clinical relevance, there is still a lack of data focusing on the perioperative management of such patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to compare the perioperative and postoperative bleeding and cardiovascular complication rates of patients undergoing burr-hole drainage for cSDH with and without discontinuation of low-dose ASA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 963 consecutive patients undergoing burr-hole drainage for cSDH, 198 (20.5%) patients were receiving low-dose ASA treatment. In 26 patients (13.1%), ASA was not discontinued (ASA group; ASA discontinuation ≤7 days); in the remaining patients (n = 172; 86.9%), ASA was discontinued at least for 7 days (control group). The primary outcome measure was recurrent cSDH that required revision surgery owing to clinical symptoms, whereas secondary outcome measures were postoperative cardiovascular and thromboembolic events, other complications, operation and hospitalization time, morbidity, and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant difference was observed between the 2 groups regarding recurrence of cSDH (P = 1). Cardiovascular event rates, surgical morbidity, and mortality did not significantly differ between patients with and without discontinuation of low-dose ASA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the lack of guidelines regarding perioperative management with antiplatelet therapy, our findings elucidate one issue, showing comparable recurrence rates with and without discontinuation of low-dose ASA in patients undergoing burr-hole drainage for cSDH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: maria.kamenova@usb.ch.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamenova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Edin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nevzati
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dolp
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fandino
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jehuda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soleman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D056424:Decompressive Craniectomy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D020200:Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011292:Premedication / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013396:Suction / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015996:Survival Rate; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001241:Aspirin
keywords: Acetylsalicylic acid; Bleeding risk; Chronic subdural hematoma