Relation between perioperative hypertension and intracranial hemorrhage after craniotomy

Previous data suggest that systemic hypertension (HTN) is a risk factor for postcraniotomy intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). The authors examined the relation between perioperative blood pressure elevation and postoperative ICH using a retrospective case control design.

The hospital's database of all patients undergoing craniotomy from 1976 to 1992 was screened. Coagulopathic and unmatchable patients were excluded. There were 69 evaluable patients who developed ICH postoperatively (n = 69). A 2-to-1 matched (by age, date of surgery, pathologic diagnosis, surgical procedure, and surgeon) control group without postoperative ICH was assembled (n = 138). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative blood pressure records (up to 12 h) were examined. Incidence of perioperative HTN (blood pressure > or = 160/90 mmHg) and odds ratios for ICH were determined.

Of the 11,214 craniotomy patients, 86 (0.77%) suffered ICH, and 69 fulfilled inclusion criteria. The incidence of preoperative HTN was similar in the ICH (34%) and the control (24%) groups. ICH occurred 21 h (median) postoperatively, with an interquartile range of 4-52 h. Sixty-two percent of ICH patients had intraoperative HTN, compared with only 34% of controls (P < 0.001). Sixty-two percent of the ICH patients had prehemorrhage HTN in the initial 12 postoperative hours versus 25% of controls (P < 0.001), with an odds ratio of 4.6 (P < 0.001) for postoperative ICH. Hospital stay (median, 24.5 vs. 11.0 days), and mortality (18.2 vs. 1.6%) were significantly greater in the ICH than in the control groups.

ICH after craniotomy is associated with severely prolonged hospital stay and mortality. Acute blood pressure elevations occur frequently prior to postcraniotomy ICH. Patients who develop postcraniotomy ICH are more likely to be hypertensive in the intraoperative and early postoperative periods.