Objectives - To investigate the effect of early aneurysm surgery (<72 h) on outcome in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Materials and methods - We studied two consecutive series of patients with aneurysmal SAH [postponed surgery (PS) cohort, n = 118, 1989-1992: surgery was planned on day 12 and early surgery (ES) cohort, n = 85, 1996-1998: ES was performed only in patients with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) >13]. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess outcome at 3 months. Results - Favourable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale 4 or 5) was similar in both cohorts. Cerebral ischemia occurred significantly more often in the ES cohort. The occurrence of rebleeds was similar in both cohorts. External cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage was performed more often in the ES cohort (51% vs 19%). Patients with cisternal sum score (CSS) of subarachnoid blood <15 on admission [adjusted odds ratio (OR) for favourable outcome: 6.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-39.8] and patients with both CSS <15 and GCS > 12 on admission benefited from the strategy including ES (OR 10.5, 95% CI 1.1-99.4). Conclusions - Our results support the widely adopted practice of ES in good-grade SAH patients.

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doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0404.2008.01064.x, hdl.handle.net/1765/14969
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

van der Jagt, M., Hasan, D., Dippel, D., van Dijk, E., Avezaat, C., & Koudstaal, P. (2009). Impact of early surgery after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 119(2), 100–106. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0404.2008.01064.x