Stereotactic Catheter Drainage Versus Conventional Craniotomy for Severe Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage in the Basal Ganglia

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most devastating forms of cerebrovascular pathology. However, its treatment remains a matter of debate among neurosurgeons and neurologists. The study was to explore the efficacy of minimally invasive surgery (stereotactic catheter drainage, SCD) for patients with severe intracerebral hemorrhage (Glasgow Coma Scale, GCS) score <= 8 and hematoma volume >= 30 cm3) and to determine predisposing factors for good clinical outcome. A total of 75 patients with severe ICH were included in this retrospective study. Patients were assigned to the SCD group (n=38) or the conventional craniotomy group (n=37). Patients were followed up for 12 months postoperatively, and their clinical parameters were compared. During the operation, the SCD group exhibited a lower bleeding volume (p<0.001) and shorter operating time (p<0.001) than the conventional craniotomy group. For postoperative efficacy, the rates of pneumonia and tracheotomy were lower (p=0.002 and p=0.027, respectively), and the duration of hospital and neurosurgery intensive care unit (NSICU) in days were significantly shorter in the SCD group (p=0.046 and p=0.047, respectively). Furthermore, patients in the SCD group showed improved modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at discharge (p<0.018) and at 12-month follow up (p<0.001). Predisposing factors for good clinical outcomes were hematoma volume (<50 cm3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.043-1.956, p<0.046), initial GCS score (>6, 95% CI: 3.248-187.466, p<0.001), hypertension (none, 95% CI: 1.440-2.922, p<0.001), and treatment modality (SCD, 95% CI: 1.422-3.226, p<0.001). Taken together, SCD surgery is safe and effective in patients with severe ICH and has fewer complications and better clinical outcomes than conventional craniotomy.