Temporal Muscle Thickness Is a Prognostic Factor for Neurological Recovery After Surgery for Chronic Subdural...

Background: Sarcopenia is increasingly recognized as a prognostic factor in surgical populations. This study evaluated the association between cranial CT-based markers of sarcopenia and neurological outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). Methods: This retrospective case-control study included 82 patients who underwent surgery for unilateral CSDH. Demographic data, comorbidities, use of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy, postoperative complications and length of hospital stay were collected from patients' medical records. Radiological parameters of sarcopenia, including temporal muscle thickness, temporal muscle area, and occipital fat pad thickness, as well as standard radiological features of CSDH, were measured preoperatively on the initial CT scan. Neurological outcome 3 months after surgery was assessed using the Glasgow Outcome Scale, with scores ≥ 4 defined as favourable and scores 1-3 as poor. Results: Demographic and clinical characteristics, including age, sex, comorbidities, hematoma thickness and intracranial midline shift, did not differ significantly between outcome groups. Temporal muscle thickness (4.7 vs. 2.8 mm, p < 0.001), temporal muscle area (160 vs. 106 mm², p = 0.04), and occipital fat pad thickness (4.7 vs. 3.4 mm, p = 0.04) were significantly greater in patients with favourable neurological outcomes. After corrections for age and comorbidities, multivariate logistic regression with temporal muscle thickness, area and density, temporal bone thickness and density, and occipital fat pad thickness demonstrated that temporal muscle thickness was the only independent predictor of good neurological recovery (OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.37-7.46, p = 0.007). ROC analysis showed good discriminatory power of temporal muscle thickness (AUC 0.812, 95% CI 0.695-0.930, p < 0.001), with a cut-off value of ≥3.37 mm for its ability to predict favourable neurological outcome. Conclusions: Temporal muscle thickness is a reliable, non-invasive imaging biomarker for predicting good neurological recovery after CSDH surgery and may aid in risk stratification, particularly in elderly or frail patients.