Abstract WP285: Hemicraniectomy Outcomes in Patients with Malignant Middle Cerebral Artery Infarctions Plus

Abstract

Hemicraniectomy (HC) is a proven treatment to reduce mortality and improve outcomes in patients with malignant middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. The benefit of HC in patients with MCA strokes plus infarctions in other vascular territories has not been well defined. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in outcomes in patients with MCA strokes compared to those with MCA Plus infarctions. We retrospectively reviewed our registry from 07/2003 to 12/2011, and identified consecutive patients diagnosed with an ischemic stroke that underwent HC. Outcome measures included mRS at discharge, mRS at day 90 and death at one year. A good outcome was defined as mRS 0-4. The vascular territory of infarction was established by a vascular neurologist who reviewed the nearest CT scan prior to the procedure and compared it with the official interpretation of a neuroradiologist. The MCA Plus infarctions included MCA + anterior cerebral artery (ACA), MCA + posterior cerebral artery (PCA) and MCA + ACA + PCA. Ninety seven patients had a HC. Sixty four were MCA and 33 were MCA Plus. The mean MCA and MCA plus ages were 51.9 (± 14.2) and 51.3 (± 12.8) years respectively. Median NIHSS was 12.5 (IQR 10.0-15.0) in MCA vs. 12.2 (IQR 9.5-14.0) in MCA Plus. MCA group had a good outcome at discharge in 25% of subjects vs. 21% in the MCA Plus cohort, OR 0.72 (95% CI: 0.24-2.15). For patients with available data, 40% of MCA was dead at 90 days and 50% in MCA Plus, and for those who survived, 33% of MCA had a good outcome compared to 15% of the MCA Plus, OR 2.4 (95% CI: 0.45-7.61). Forty eight percent of MCA patients were dead at one year vs. 76% of the MCA Plus patients. We found no difference in good outcomes at discharge and 90 days in our cohort of patients who received a HC with MCA or MCA plus infarctions. Limitations include a high rate of missing data at day 90 and at one year, and poor standardization of HC timing. Further prospective studies are necessary to evaluate the clinical implications of HC in MCA Plus syndromes.