Acute traumatic intracerebral haematomas: determinants of outcome in a retrospective series of 202 cases

Abstract

A retrospective study was carried out of 202 patients with traumatic intracerebral haematomas (TICH) noted on CT, to determine which factors most affected outcome. There were 151 (75%) males and 51 (25%) females, whose ages ranged from 1 to 84 years. One-hundred-and-two (51%) had a good outcome (Glasgow Outcome Score 1 and 2). Thirty-five (17%) were vegetative or severely disabled and 65 (32%) died. Of the 169 with a single haematoma, 98 (58%) had a good outcome, while only 20% of patients with two clots fared well. No patient with three or more haematomas had a good outcome. Single factor logistic regression analysis identified Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), haematoma volume and difficulty with airway maintenance or poor arterial oxygenation as important factors in determining outcome. A four-factor logistic regression analysis model was developed which revealed that, when all other factors had been taken into consideration, craniotomy significantly improved the probability of a good outcome.