Spot sign as a predictor of rebleeding after endoscopic surgery for intracerebral hemorrhage

In patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), postoperative recurrent hemorrhage (PRH) is one of the most severe complications after endoscopic evacuation of hematoma (EEH). However, no predictors of this complication have been identified. In the present study, the authors retrospectively investigated whether PRH can be preoperatively predicted by the presence of the spot sign on CT scans.

In total, 143 patients with sICH were treated by EEH between June 2009 and March 2017, and 127 patients who underwent preoperative CT angiography were included in this study. Significant correlations of PRH with the patients' baseline, clinical, and radiographic characteristics, including the spot sign, were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models.

The incidence of and risk factors for PRH were assessed in 127 patients with available data. PRH occurred in 9 (7.1%) patients. Five (21.7%) cases of PRH were observed among 23 patients with the spot sign, whereas only 4 (3.8%) cases of PRH occurred among 104 patients without the spot sign. The spot sign was the only independent predictor of PRH (OR 5.81, 95% CI 1.26-26.88; p = 0.02). The following factors were not independently associated with PRH: age, hypertension, poor consciousness, antihemostatic factors (thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy, and use of antithrombotic drugs), the location and size of the sICH, other radiographic findings (black hole sign and blend sign), surgical duration and procedures, and early surgery.

The spot sign is likely to be a strong predictor of PRH after EEH among patients with sICH. Complete and careful control of bleeding in the operative field should be ensured when surgically treating such patients. New surgical strategies and procedures might be needed to improve these patients' outcomes.