Clinical outcome following surgical treatment for bilateral cerebellar infarction

Necrosectomy Versus Stand-Alone Suboccipital Decompressive Craniectomy for the Management of Space-Occupying Cerebellar Infarctions-A Retrospective Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Space-occupying cerebellar stroke (SOCS) when coupled with neurological deterioration represents a neurosurgical emergency. Although current evidence supports surgical intervention in such patients with SOCS and rapid neurological deterioration, the optimal surgical methods/techniques to be applied remain a matter of debate.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study of patients undergoing surgery for SOCS. Patients were stratified according to the type of surgery as (1) suboccipital decompressive craniectomy (SDC) or (2) suboccipital craniotomy with concurrent necrosectomy. The primary end point examined was functional outcome using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge and at 3 months (mRS 0-3 defined as favorable and mRS 4-6 as unfavorable outcome). Secondary end points included the analysis of in-house postoperative complications, mortality, and length of hospitalization.

RESULTS

Ninety-two patients were included in the final analysis: 49 underwent necrosectomy and 43 underwent SDC. Those with necrosectomy displayed significantly higher rate of favorable outcome at discharge as compared with those who underwent SDC alone: 65.3% vs 27.9%, respectively ( P < .001, odds ratios 4.9, 95% CI 2.0-11.8). This difference was also observed at 3 months: 65.3% vs 41.7% ( P = .030, odds ratios 2.7, 95% CI 1.1-6.7). No significant differences were observed in mortality and/or postoperative complications, such as hemorrhagic transformation, infection, and/or the development of cerebrospinal fluid leaks/fistulas.

CONCLUSION

In the setting of SOCS, patients treated with necrosectomy displayed better functional outcomes than those patients who underwent SDC alone. Ultimately, prospective, randomized studies will be needed to confirm this finding.

Functional and Mortality Outcomes with Medical and Surgical Therapy in Malignant Posterior Circulation Infarcts: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

There remains uncertainty regarding optimal definitive management for malignant posterior circulation infarcts (MPCI). While guidelines recommend neurosurgery for malignant cerebellar infarcts that are refractory to medical therapy, concerns exist about the functional outcome and quality of life after decompressive surgery.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of surgical intervention compared to medical therapy in MPCI.

METHODS

In this systematic review, MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched from inception until 2 April 2021. Studies were included if they involved posterior circulation strokes treated with neurosurgical intervention and reported mortality and functional outcome data. Data were collected according to PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

The search yielded 6677 studies, of which 31 studies (comprising 723 patients) were included for analysis. From the included studies, we found that surgical therapy led to significant differences in mortality and functional outcomes in patients with severe disease. Neurological decline and radiological criteria were often used to decide the timing for surgical intervention, as there is currently limited evidence for preventative neurosurgery. There is also limited evidence for the superiority of one surgical modality over another.

CONCLUSION

For patients with MPCI who are clinically stable at the time of presentation, in terms of mortality and functional outcome, surgical therapy appears to be equivocal to medical therapy. Reliable evidence is lacking, and further prospective studies are rendered.

Rate of Infarct-Edema Growth on CT Predicts Need for Surgical Intervention and Clinical Outcome in Patients with Cerebellar Infarction

BACKGROUND

Up to 20% of patients with cerebellar infarcts will develop malignant edema and deteriorate clinically. Radiologic measures, such as initial infarct size, aid in identifying individuals at risk. Studies of anterior circulation stroke suggest that mapping early edema formation improves the ability to predict deterioration; however, the kinetics of edema in the posterior fossa have not been well characterized. We hypothesized that faster edema growth within the first hours after acute cerebellar stroke would be an indicator for individuals requiring surgical intervention and those with worse neurological outcomes.

METHODS

Consecutive patients admitted to the neurological intensive care unit with acute cerebellar infarction were retrospectively identified. Hypodense regions of infarct and associated edema, "infarct-edema", were delineated by using ABC/2 for all computed tomography (CT) scans up to 14 days from last known well. To examine how rate of infarct-edema growth varied across clinical variables and surgical intervention status, nonlinear and linear mixed-effect models were performed over 2 weeks and 2 days, respectively. In patients with at least two CT scans, multivariable logistic regression examined clinical and radiological predictors of surgical intervention (defined as extraventricular drainage and/or posterior fossa decompression) and poor clinical outcome (discharge to skilled nursing facility, long-term acute care facility, hospice, or morgue).

RESULTS

Of 150 patients with acute cerebellar infarction, 38 (25%) received surgical intervention and 45 (30%) had poor clinical outcome. Age, admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, and baseline infarct-edema volume did not differ, but bilateral/multiple vascular territory involvement was more frequent (87% vs. 50%, p < 0.001) in the surgical group than that in the medical intervention group. On 410 serial CTs, infarct-edema volume progressed rapidly over the first 2 days, followed by a subsequent plateau. Of 112 patients who presented within two days, infarct-edema growth rate was greater in the surgical group (20.1 ml/day vs. 8.01 ml/day, p = 0.002). Of 67 patients with at least two scans, after adjusting for baseline infarct-edema volume, vascular territory, and NIHSS, infarct-edema growth rate over the first 2 days (odds ratio 2.55; 95% confidence interval 1.40-4.65) was an independent, and the strongest, predictor of surgical intervention. Further, early infarct-edema growth rate predicted poor clinical outcome (odds ratio 2.20; 95% confidence interval 1.30-3.71), independent of baseline infarct-edema volume, brainstem infarct, and NIHSS.

CONCLUSIONS

Early infarct-edema growth rate, measured via ABC/2, is a promising biomarker for identifying the need for surgical intervention in patients with acute cerebellar infarction. Additionally, it may be used to facilitate discussions regarding patient prognosis.

DWI cerebellar infarct volume as predictor of outcomes after endovascular treatment of acute basilar artery occlusion

BACKGROUND

Preprocedural predictors of outcome in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (ABAO) who have undergone endovascular treatment (EVT) remain controversial. Our aim was to determine if pre-EVT diffusion-weighted imaging cerebellar infarct volume (CIV) is a predictor of 90-day outcomes.

METHODS

We analyzed consecutive MRI-selected endovascularly treated patients with ABAO within the first 24 hours after symptom onset. Successful reperfusion was defined as a modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score of 2b-3. Using the initial MRI, baseline CIV was calculated in mL on an apparent diffusion coefficient map reconstruction (Olea Sphere software). CIV was analyzed in univariate and multivariable models as a predictor of 90-day functional independence (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2) and mortality. According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the optimal cut-off was determined by maximizing the Youden index to evaluate the prognostic value of CIV.

RESULTS

Of the 110 MRI-selected patients with ABAO, 64 (58.18%) had a cerebellar infarct. The median CIV was 9.6 mL (IQR 2.7-31.4). Successful reperfusion was achieved in 81.8% of the cases. At 90 days the proportion of patients with mRS ≤2 was 31.8% and the overall mortality rate was 40.9%. Baseline CIV was significantly associated with 90-day mRS 0-2 (p=0.008) in the univariate analysis and was an independent predictor of 90-day mortality (adjusted OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.54, p=0.001). The ROC analysis showed that a CIV ≥4.7 mL at the initial MRI was the optimal cut-off to discriminate patients with a higher risk of death at 90 days (area under the ROC curve (AUC)=0.74, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.87, sensitivity and specificity of 87.9% and 58.1%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

In our series of MRI-selected patients with ABAO, pre-EVT CIV was an independent predictor of 90-day mortality. The risk of death was increased for baseline CIV ≥4.7 mL.

Cerebellar Necrosectomy Instead of Suboccipital Decompression: A Suitable Alternative for Patients with Space-Occupying Cerebellar Infarction

OBJECTIVE

Space-occupying cerebellar ischemic strokes (SOCSs) often lead to neurological deterioration and require surgical intervention to release pressure from the posterior fossa. Current guidelines recommend suboccipital decompressive craniectomy (SDC) with dural expansion when medical therapy is not sufficient. However, no good-quality evidence is available to support this surgical practice, and the surgical timing and technique both remain controversial. We have described an alternative to SDC, surgical evacuation of infarcted tissue (necrosectomy) and its clinical outcomes.

METHODS

In the present retrospective, single-center study, 34 consecutive patients with SOCS undergoing necrosectomy via osteoplastic craniotomy were included. The patient characteristics and radiological findings were evaluated. To differentiate the effects of age on the functional outcomes, the patients were divided into 2 groups (group I, age ≤60 years; and group II, age >60 years). Functional outcomes were assessed using the Glasgow outcome scale, modified Rankin scale, and Barthel index at discharge and 30 days postoperatively.

RESULTS

In our cohort, we observed overall mortality of 21%, with good functional outcomes (Glasgow outcome scale score ≥4) for 76% of the patients. No statistically significant differences in mortality or functional outcomes were observed between the 2 patient groups. Comparing our data with a recent meta-analysis of SDC, the number of adverse events and unfavorable outcome showed equipoise between the 2 treatment modalities.

CONCLUSIONS

Necrosectomy appears to be a suitable alternative to SDC for SOCS, achieving comparable mortality and functional outcomes. Further trials are necessary to evaluate which surgical technique is more beneficial in the setting of SOCSs.

[Malignant cerebellar infarction: clinical course and surgical treatment]

AIM

To clarify the indications for surgical treatment of malignant cerebellar infarction (CI).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eighty patients with CI were studied. The malignancy of CI was understood as the development of mass effect in the posterior cranial fossa, accompanied by the decrease in consciousness due to compression of the brain stem and/or the development of occlusive hydrocephalus. The patients were divided into 2 groups. The group of malignant CI included 55 patients (68.75%) (group I), the group of benign CI included 25 patients (31.25%) (group II). Patients of group I were divided into subgroups, one of them underwent surgical treatment (surgical subgroup), and another only conservative (conservative subgroup) treatment. Surgery efficacy criteria were: restoration of consciousness to 15 points according to GCS and/or restoration of the fourth ventricle and the quadrigeminal cistern configurations. Results of treatment were assessed according to the Glasgow outcome scale.

RESULTS

Malignant CI occurred more frequently in patients with the volume of ischemia exceeding 20 cm³ (p<0.05) in the first day of the disease. The threshold value of mass effect, which can cause further a malignant CI, was 3 points according to the M. Jauss scale. In the group of patients with malignant CI, surgical treatment reduced the mortality rate from occlusion and dislocation syndrome by 35.8%. The most effective type of intervention was a combination of decompressive trepanation of the posterior cranial fossa and external ventricular drainage.

CONCLUSION

In patients with CI with the volume more than 20 cm³ and signs of mass effect in the posterior cranial fossa on the scale of M. Jauss 3 points or more, the malignant course of the disease develops in 67% of cases. These patients require careful monitoring, and, in case of development of malignant CI, surgical treatment is necessary.

Posterior Fossa Surgery for Stroke: Differences in Outcomes Between Cerebellar Hemorrhage and Infarcts

BACKGROUND

Posterior fossa surgery is the established treatment for large cerebellar strokes with brainstem compression. Despite this, there is a paucity of data for long-term outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent posterior fossa surgery for cerebellar hemorrhages and infarcts was performed to compare their difference in 6-month outcomes and to identify factors that affect outcomes. Patients were dichotomized into groups with good outcomes (modified Rankin scale [mRS] score 0-3) or poor outcomes (mRS score 4-6). Sex, age, preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale score, Charleston comorbidity index, time to surgery, intraventricular hemorrhage, surgical complications, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, shunt dependence, and tracheostomy rates were analyzed.

RESULTS

In total, 126 patients were recruited: 76 in hemorrhage group and 50 in infarct group. There was a greater mortality in the hemorrhage group (P = 0.0730). At 6 months, more patients in the hemorrhage group had poor outcomes (P = 0.0074, odds ratio 3.04) and greater mortality (P = 0.0730, odds ratio 2.20). More patients in the hemorrhage group required a tracheostomy (P = 0.0245). Factors predictive of poor outcome include older age (P = 0.0108), Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8 (P = 0.0011), and tracheostomy (P = 0.0269). A total of 69.2% of patients had improvements in mRS scores at 6 months. Shorter length of stay (P = 0.0003) and discharge to a rehabilitation hospital (P = 0.0001) were predictive of functional improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who underwent posterior fossa surgery for cerebellar hemorrhage had worse outcomes compared with patients with cerebellar infarcts and were more likely to require a tracheostomy. Rehabilitation helped to improved outcomes.

Long-term functional outcome after decompressive suboccipital craniectomy for space-occupying cerebellar infarction

OBJECTIVES

Suboccipital decompressive craniectomy (SDC) is considered the best treatment option in patients with space-occupying cerebellar infarction and clinical signs of deterioration. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term functional outcome in patients one year after SDC for space-occupying cerebellar infarction, and secondly, to determine factors associated with outcome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All patients treated with SDC due to space-occupying cerebellar infarction between January 2009 and October 2015 were included in the study. Data was retrospectively collected from patient records, CT/MRI scans and surgical protocols. Long-term functional outcome was determined by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and mRS ≥ 4 was defined as unfavorable outcome.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients (16 male, 6 female) were included in the study. Median age was 53 years. Nine patients were treated with external ventricular drainage as an initial treatment attempt prior to SDC. Median time from symptom onset (stroke ictus) to initiation of the SDC surgery was 48 h (IQR 28-99 hours) and median GCS before SDC was 8 (IQR 5-10). At follow up, median mRS was 3 (IQR 2-6). Outcome was favorable (mRS 0-3) in 12 patients and unfavorable in 10 (3 with major disability, 7 dead). Brainstem infarction and bilateral cerebellar infarction were associated with unfavorable outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

In this small study, functional long-term outcome in patients with space-occupying cerebellar infarction treated by SDC was acceptable and comparable to previously published results (favorable outcome in 54% of patients). Brainstem infarction and bilateral cerebellar infarction were associated with unfavorable outcome.

Hemicraniectomy for Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke: Facts and Controversies

Malignant large artery stroke is associated with high mortality of 70% to 80% with best medical management. Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a highly effective tool in reducing mortality. Convincing evidence has accumulated from several randomized trials, in addition to multiple retrospective studies, that demonstrate not only survival benefit but also improved functional outcome with DC in appropriately selected patients. This article explores in detail the evidence for DC, nuances regarding patient selection, and applicability of DC for supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage and posterior fossa ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Critical care for patients with massive ischemic stroke

Malignant cerebral edema following ischemic stroke is life threatening, as it can cause inadequate blood flow and perfusion leading to irreversible tissue hypoxia and metabolic crisis. Increased intracranial pressure and brain shift can cause herniation syndrome and finally brain death. Multiple randomized clinical trials have shown that preemptive decompressive hemicraniectomy effectively reduces mortality and morbidity in patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction. Another life-saving decompressive surgery is suboccipital craniectomy for patients with brainstem compression by edematous cerebellar infarction. In addition to decompressive surgery, cerebrospinal fluid drainage by ventriculostomy should be considered for patients with acute hydrocephalus following stroke. Medical treatment begins with sedation, analgesia, and general measures including ventilatory support, head elevation, maintaining a neutral neck position, and avoiding conditions associated with intracranial hypertension. Optimization of cerebral perfusion pressure and reduction of intracranial pressure should always be pursued simultaneously. Osmotherapy with mannitol is the standard treatment for intracranial hypertension, but hypertonic saline is also an effective alternative. Therapeutic hypothermia may also be considered for treatment of brain edema and intracranial hypertension, but its neuroprotective effects have not been demonstrated in stroke. Barbiturate coma therapy has been used to reduce metabolic demand, but has become less popular because of its systemic adverse effects. Furthermore, general medical care is critical because of the complex interactions between the brain and other organ systems. Some challenging aspects of critical care, including ventilator support, sedation and analgesia, and performing neurological examinations in the setting of a minimal stimulation protocol, are addressed in this review.

Intraoperative visualization of bilateral thrombosis in the posterior inferior cerebellar artery apparent in the telovelomedullary segment

Unilateral posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) thrombosis is frequent. However, bilateral PICA thrombosis is rare. Herein we report about an intraoperative visualization of a bilateral thrombosis of the telovelomedullary segment of the PICA. A 74-year-old woman was admitted to our department on day two of a bilateral PICA thrombosis with developing cerebellar infarction. Her Glasgow Coma Scale score dropped from 15 to 13, and cranial computed tomography revealed compression of the fourth ventricle with consecutive occlusive hydrocephalus. After the insertion of an external ventricular drainage, the patient underwent urgent suboccipital decompressive craniectomy with removal of infarcted cerebellar tonsils, which allowed the bilateral visualization of the thrombosed telovelomedullary segments. The surgical access may offer surgical therapeutic options in a hyperacute occlusion, such as thromb-/embolectomy or bypass procedures.

Craniectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Anterior and posterior circulation acute ischemic stroke carries significant morbidity and mortality as a result of malignant cerebral edema. Decompressive craniectomy has evolved as a viable neurosurgical intervention in the armamentarium of treatment options for this life-threatening edema. In this review, we highlight the history of craniectomy for stroke and discuss recent data relevant to its efficacy in modern neurosurgical practice.

Recommendations for the management of cerebral and cerebellar infarction with swelling: a statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are uncertainties surrounding the optimal management of patients with brain swelling after an ischemic stroke. Guidelines are needed on how to manage this major complication, how to provide the best comprehensive neurological and medical care, and how to best inform families facing complex decisions on surgical intervention in deteriorating patients. This scientific statement addresses the early approach to the patient with a swollen ischemic stroke in a cerebral or cerebellar hemisphere.

METHODS

The writing group used systematic literature reviews, references to published clinical and epidemiology studies, morbidity and mortality reports, clinical and public health guidelines, authoritative statements, personal files, and expert opinion to summarize existing evidence and to indicate gaps in current knowledge. The panel reviewed the most relevant articles on adults through computerized searches of the medical literature using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science through March 2013. The evidence is organized within the context of the American Heart Association framework and is classified according to the joint American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation and supplementary American Heart Association Stroke Council methods of classifying the level of certainty and the class and level of evidence. The document underwent extensive American Heart Association internal peer review.

RESULTS

Clinical criteria are available for hemispheric (involving the entire middle cerebral artery territory or more) and cerebellar (involving the posterior inferior cerebellar artery or superior cerebellar artery) swelling caused by ischemic infarction. Clinical signs that signify deterioration in swollen supratentorial hemispheric ischemic stroke include new or further impairment of consciousness, cerebral ptosis, and changes in pupillary size. In swollen cerebellar infarction, a decrease in level of consciousness occurs as a result of brainstem compression and therefore may include early loss of corneal reflexes and the development of miosis. Standardized definitions should be established to facilitate multicenter and population-based studies of incidence, prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes. Identification of patients at high risk for brain swelling should include clinical and neuroimaging data. If a full resuscitative status is warranted in a patient with a large territorial stroke, admission to a unit with neurological monitoring capabilities is needed. These patients are best admitted to intensive care or stroke units attended by skilled and experienced physicians such as neurointensivists or vascular neurologists. Complex medical care includes airway management and mechanical ventilation, blood pressure control, fluid management, and glucose and temperature control. In swollen supratentorial hemispheric ischemic stroke, routine intracranial pressure monitoring or cerebrospinal fluid diversion is not indicated, but decompressive craniectomy with dural expansion should be considered in patients who continue to deteriorate neurologically. There is uncertainty about the efficacy of decompressive craniectomy in patients ≥60 years of age. In swollen cerebellar stroke, suboccipital craniectomy with dural expansion should be performed in patients who deteriorate neurologically. Ventriculostomy to relieve obstructive hydrocephalus after a cerebellar infarct should be accompanied by decompressive suboccipital craniectomy to avoid deterioration from upward cerebellar displacement. In swollen hemispheric supratentorial infarcts, outcome can be satisfactory, but one should anticipate that one third of patients will be severely disabled and fully dependent on care even after decompressive craniectomy. Surgery after a cerebellar infarct leads to acceptable functional outcome in most patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Swollen cerebral and cerebellar infarcts are critical conditions that warrant immediate, specialized neurointensive care and often neurosurgical intervention. Decompressive craniectomy is a necessary option in many patients. Selected patients may benefit greatly from such an approach, and although disabled, they may be functionally independent.

Space-occupying cerebellar infarction: complications, treatment, and outcome

Space-occupying brain edema is a frequent and one of the most dreaded complications in ischemic cerebellar stroke. Because the tight posterior fossa provides little compensating space, any space-occupying lesion can lead to life-threatening complications through brainstem compression or compression of the fourth ventricle and subsequent hydrocephalus, both of which may portend transtentorial/transforaminal herniation. Patients with large cerebellar infarcts should be treated and monitored very early on in an experienced stroke unit or (neuro)intensive care unit. The general treatment of ischemic cerebellar infarction does not differ from that of supratentorial ischemic strokes. Treatment strategies for space-occupying edema include pharmacological antiedema and intracranial pressure–lowering therapies, ventricular drainage by means of an extraventricular drain, and suboccipital decompressive surgery, with or without resection of necrotic tissue. Timely escalation of treatment is crucial and should be guided by clinical and neuroradiological rationales. Patients in a coma after hydrocephalus and/or local brainstem compression may also benefit from more aggressive surgical treatment, as long as the conditions are reversible. Contrary to the general belief that outcome in survivors of space-occupying cerebellar stroke is usually good, recent studies suggest that for many of these patients, the long-term outcome is not good. In particular, advanced age and additional brainstem infarction seem to be predictors for poor outcome. Further trials are necessary to investigate these findings systematically and provide better selection criteria to help guide decisions about surgical therapies, which should always be carried out in close cooperation among neurointensive care physicians, neurologists, and neurosurgeons.

Neurosurgical management of massive cerebellar infarct outcome in 53 patients

Background:

Massive ischemic cerebellar infarct (MICI) is a main source of stroke, which can lead to severe morbidity and mortality. There is no consensus in medical literature for the management of MICI. The choice is made between placing an external ventricular drainage, suboccipital decompressive craniectomy, and removal of necrotic tissue or conservative treatment. There are not many prospective studies, done on this subject.

Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features, and imaging studies of 53 patients with MICI who had been treated by surgery or conservative treatment between January 2000 and December 2008 at the Department of Neurosurgery of the general hospital of Fort de France in Martinique. A total of 25 patients underwent surgery and 28 were treated medically.

Results:

The results show significantly better outcomes in the operated patients compared with the patients treated medically; Operated comatose patients demonstrated significant improvement in their Glasgow coma score (GCS) score with only two deaths. Whereas, nonoperated comatose patients lost points in their GCS with four deaths.

Conclusion:

The results of our study suggest that surgery may be an effective procedure and quite helpful for MICI in majority of cases.

Surgical treatment of patients with unilateral cerebellar infarcts: clinical outcome and prognostic factors

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on the long-term outcome and on factors influencing the prognosis in patients with cerebellar infarcts treated with surgical decompression.

METHODS

Thirty-two patients (age 64.3 ± 9.9 years) with expansive unilateral cerebellar infarcts were retrospectively evaluated. All patients were treated with ventriculostomy, suboccipital decompressive craniectomy and removal of the necrotic tissue. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the Reaction Level Scale (RLS) scores evaluated the level of consciousness during hospitalization, while the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used for the 6-month and long-term outcome. Predicting factors were analyzed using a univariate logistic regression model.

RESULTS

The median time from ictus to surgery was 48.4 h (range 8-120 h). Before surgery, the median GCS score was 9 (3-13). At discharge, the GCS score improved to 13.6 (7-15) (p < 0.05 compared to preoperative scores). At the long-term follow-up (median 67.5 months), ten patients were dead, and 77% of survivors had a good outcome (mRS score of ≤2). The number of days on a ventilator and the GCS score prior to surgery and at discharge were strong predictors of clinical outcome (p < 0.05), although one third of patients with a GCS ≤ 8 at the time of surgery had a good long-term outcome. In patients ≥70 years old, 50% had a good long-term outcome, and advanced age was not associated with a bad result (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results imply that surgical evacuation of significant cerebellar infarctions may be considered also in patients with advanced age and/or a decreased level of consciousness.