Degree of basal cisterns compression predicting mortality and functional outcome after craniotomy and primary decompressive craniectomy in acute subdural hematoma population

Objectives The compression of basal cisterns on CT is one of the signs of intracranial hypertension in TBI population. This study evaluates the relationship between the degree of basal cisterns effacement and outcomes in aSDH population.Methods The study includes prospectively collected data from 290 patients who underwent osteoplastic craniotomy (OC) or primary decompressive craniectomy (pDC) for aSDH from 2016 to 2021. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association of baseline characteristics and extent of basal cisterns compression on pre-operative and post-operative CT scans with the outcomes at the time of discharge. Outcomes were dichotomized into mortality (and unfavourable (GOS 1-3 vs GOS 4-5). The degree of cisternal compression was evaluated using the cisternal effacement score of perimesencephalic and quadrigeminal cisternal components. Critical thresholds associated with the outcomes were calculated.Results Age and pre-/post-operative degree of cisternal compression were the strongest independent predictors of intrahospital mortality in a whole sample and separately in OC and pDC subgroups. The unfavourable outcome was independently predicted by age, pre-/post-operative status of cisternal compression and initial GCS. Critical thresholds associated with the mortality and poor functional outcome were, respectively, age >= 70 (OR 3.14 [CI 95% 1.82-5.46], p < 0.001) and >= 67 (OR 3.87 [CI 95% 2.33-6.54], p < 0.001), pre-operative cisternal effacement score >= 9 (OR 6.39 [CI 95% 3.62-11.53], p < 0.001) and >= 7 (OR 4.93 [CI 95% 2.96-8.38], p < 0.001), post-operative cisternal effacement score >= 6 (OR 20.6 [CI 95% 10.08-45.10], p < 0.001) and >= 3 (OR 7.47 [CI 95% 3.87-15.73], p < 0.001) and initial GCS <= 8 (OR 0.24 [CI 95% 0.13-0.43], p < 0.001 and OR 0.12 [CI 95% 0.07-0.21], p < 0.001).Conclusions After adjusting for baseline characteristics, age and degree of cisternal compression remained the independent predictors of mortality, whereas unfavourable outcomes were associated with age, cisternal obliteration and GCS on presentation.