Bifrontal decompressive craniotomy for malignant edema

To review the outcome of bifrontal decompressive craniotomy used for the treatment of malignant brain edema due to different etiologies. The study was carried out at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period from January 2000 to June 2005, and included all patients who had malignant brain edema due to different etiology and were treated with bifrontal decompressive craniotomy after failure of aggressive medical treatment. Ten patients were included in the study, 6 males and 4 females; the mean age was 24 years. Seven patients had severe head injury, 2 had aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, and one had large calcified olfactory groove meningioma. Clinically, all patients, except one, had Glasgow coma scores more than 3 before surgery, and operation was performed in all patients once clinical deterioration was observed and diagnosis confirmed by CT brain scan. The outcome of surgery was good in 70%, poor in 20%, and mortality was 10%. The mean hospital stay was 85 days. Bifrontal decompressive craniotomy offers immediate reduction of intracranial pressure to its normal levels, and improves the outcome of malignant brain edema whatever its cause, it should be performed once clinical deterioration is observed

Predication of outcome of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Apropsed scoring system

The aim of this study was to identify factors that affect the outcome of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage treated at King Khalid University Hospital [KKUH], Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The medical records of 30 consecutive patients with verified ruptured cerebral aneurysm treated at KKUH between 1993 and 1996 were reviewed looking for factors that affect the outcome of surgery. Statistically significant factors were selected to design a scoring system for prediction of the outcome. This scoring system was then used to predict the outcome of the next 40 patients between 1997 and 2000. The preoperative Hunt and Hess grade, amount of subarachnoid hemorrhage in computerized tomography scan, aneurysm size and progressive hydrocephalus were the most significant factors that affect the outcome. There was significant association between the score value and the outcome, patients with low scores had negligible morbidity and mortality. The scoring system is simple, easily applicable and can be used to predict the outcome of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage with a high degree of accuracy