Impact of perioperative factors on short-term outcomes after emergency surgery for acute traumatic extradural hematoma – A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

BackgroundPreoperative clinical and imaging findings predict neurological outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Similarly, intraoperative factors such as blood loss and hypotension can also affect outcomes. However, there is not much data regarding the influence of perioperative variables on clinical outcomes in patients with extradural hematoma (EDH). This study aimed to understand the effect of perioperative factors on short-term neurological outcomes in patients operated for acute traumatic EDH. MethodsAfter obtaining institutional ethical approval, we collected data retrospectively from records of patients who underwent emergency surgery for acute traumatic EDH over a two-year period. Data regarding age, gender, preoperative Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score, clinical and imaging findings, surgical and anesthetic details, blood loss and transfusion, duration of hospital stay, and GCS score at discharge were collected. Patients with discharge GCS score of 14–15 were considered to have favorable outcome and <14 as unfavorable outcome. Regression analysis was performed to examine the association between predictors and outcomes. Odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. ResultsData of 501 patients were analyzed. Outcome was favorable in 343 (68.5 %) and unfavorable in 158 (31.5 %) patients. On multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR, 95 % CI, p value), age (1.03, 1.01–1.05, 0.01), preoperative GCS score (0.68, 0.61–0.76, <0.001), signs of basal skull fracture (1.9, 1.02–3.61, 0.043) and intraoperative blood loss (2.23, 1.2–4.16, 0.01) were independently associated with unfavorable outcome. Pneumonia, neurological deficits, inotrope use and duration of hospital stay was more in this group. ConclusionsOlder age, poor pre-operative GCS score, signs of basal skull fracture, and intraoperative blood loss were associated with lower discharge GCS score, increased neurological deficits and longer hospital stay in patients operated for acute traumatic EDH.