Reoperation for Postoperative Intracranial Hemorrhage in Patients with Traumatic Intracranial Hematoma

ABSTRACT

Twenty five consecutive patients requiring reoperation due to hemorrhage following surgery for intracranial hematoma removal were identified in a retrospective review of 211 cases of traumatic intracranial lesions treated at our hospital between January 1990 and December 1994. In cases involving head injury, reoperation is nowadays not uncommon. The incidence of cases requiring reoperation was 11.8%, while delayed or recurrent lesions were more common among older patients(mean age=44.39 years). Acute subdural hemorrhage was the most common initial lesion requiring reoperation in intracerebral and acute subdural hemorrhage, the incidence of reoperation was relatively high(23.1% and 14.7%, respectively) acute epidural hemorrhage was next most common(8.8%). In 88.0% of cases, reoperation was performed within 24 hours. At the time of discharge, good recovery was reported in five cases(20.0%), moderate disability in ten(40.0%), severe disability in two(8.0%), vegetative state in two(8.0%) and death in six(24.0%). The outcome seems to be related to lesions requiring reoperation rather than initial lesions. Furthermore, closed observation and aggressive management can rapidly improve the outcome, even in patients requiring reoperation it is, in addition, of the utmost importance that CT scans be used early and repeatedly, especially in patients who are at risk of delayed or recurrent lesions.