[Functional outcome after decompressive craniectomy: a retrospective and prospective clinical study]

Decompressive craniectomy has been revived as a radical surgical treatment in increased ICP. While the life saving effect is undisputable, reports about the functional outcome are controversial. Furthermore, there are no data comparing the outcome of craniectomised patients with different aetiologies. In a retrospective and prospective study we assessed the functional outcome of craniectomised patients (41 stroke and 24 traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients). The majority of patients considerably benefits from the rehabilitation process. Nevertheless, most of them remained dependent upon caregivers. In stroke patients there was a significant negative correlation between age and outcome. Even though TBI were younger than stroke patients there were no outcome differences between these groups. We found no correlation between the side of the hemisphere injured and outcome.