Risk-assessment in chronic subdural hematoma evaluated in 148 patients - A score for predicting recurrence

Updates on the diagnosis and management of subdural hematoma

ABSTRACT

Intracranial hemorrhage is a potentially life-threatening condition categorized into four main groups by the location of bleeding: epidural, subdural, subarachnoid, and intraparenchymal. Subdural hematoma (SDH) is increasingly common as the population of older adults increases. Clinicians must recognize the typical presentations and order diagnostic imaging studies to make a timely diagnosis and referral to neurosurgery for definitive treatment. Understanding the pathophysiology and risk factors for chronic or expanding SDH informs decision-making in managing anticoagulants. Emerging treatments offer potential alternatives to the traditional evacuation of SDH by craniotomy, which remains the standard of care for most symptomatic patients.

Clinical Use of Hematoma Volume Based On Automated Segmentation of Chronic Subdural Hematoma Using 3D U-Net

PURPOSE

To propose a method for calculating hematoma volume based on automatic segmentation of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) using 3D U‑net and investigate whether it can be used clinically to predict recurrence.

METHODS

Hematoma volumes manually measured from pre- and postoperative computed tomography (CT) images were used as ground truth data to train 3D U‑net in 200 patients (400 CT scans). A total of 215 patients (430 CT scans) were used as test data to output segmentation results from the trained 3D U‑net model. The similarity with the ground truth data was evaluated using Dice scores for pre and postoperative separately. The recurrence prediction accuracy was evaluated by obtaining receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the segmentation results. Using a typical mobile PC, the computation time per case was measured and the average time was calculated.

RESULTS

The median Dice score of the test data were preoperative hematoma volume (Pre-HV): 0.764 and postoperative subdural cavity volume (Post-SCV): 0.741. In ROC analyses assessing recurrence prediction, the area under the curve (AUC) of the manual was 0.755 in Pre-HV, whereas the 3D U‑net was 0.735. In Post-SCV, the manual AUC was 0.779; the 3D U‑net was 0.736. No significant differences were found between manual and 3D U‑net for all results. Using a mobile PC, the average time taken to output the test data results was 30 s per case.

CONCLUSION

The proposed method is a simple, accurate, and clinically applicable; it can contribute to the widespread use of recurrence prediction scoring systems for CSDH.

Factors for predicting recurrence after burr hole drainage for chronic subdural hematoma: a retrospective study

Chronic subdural hematoma (SDH) is a common disease in the neurosurgical field, and hematoma drainage through burr hole trephination has been widely considered the optimal treatment for SDH. Despite numerous investigations aimed at predicting recurrence rates and associated factors, studies have demonstrated inconsistent results. In this study, we aimed to comprehensively determine the predictive factors of chronic SDH recurrence in surgically treated patients. We retrospectively evaluated 578 consecutive patients who underwent single burr hole surgery for chronic SDH at our institute between January 2008 and December 2021. Various clinical and radiological factors in patients with and without recurrence were compared using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A total of 438 patients (531 hemispheres) were analyzed. Fifty-four (10.17%) of the 531 hemispheres had recurrence of chronic SDH within 6 months. Male sex (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.48; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.42-8.49), bilateral hematomas (aOR = 2.14; 95% CI, 1.05-4.35), laminar hematoma type (aOR = 2.87; 95% CI, 1.23-6.71), > 30-cm3 volume of postoperative residual hematoma (aOR = 2.99; 95% CI, 1.01-8.83), and preoperative blood glucose level of ≥ 150 mg/dL (aOR = 2.11; 95% CI, 1.10-4.05) were identified as independent factors associated with recurrence in multivariate logistic regression analysis. The present study revealed that male patients and those who had bilateral hematomas, laminar hematoma type, a large volume of hematoma after surgery, and a high preoperative blood glucose level had a higher probability of experiencing recurrent chronic SDH. We recommend close monitoring of patients 6 months postoperatively to detect subsequent chronic SDH recurrence.

Modified Puerto Rico Recurrence Scale for chronic subdural hematomas: augmenting the grading scale with postoperative pneumocephalus volume

BACKGROUND

Chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs) are common in the elderly, with a relatively high rate of recurrence after initial surgical intervention. Our research team previously created a predictive grading system, the Puerto Rico Recurrence Scale (PRRS), to identify patients at high risk of CSDH recurrence. In this study, we introduce a modification of the (mPRRS) that includes pneumocephalus volume, which has been independently associated with recurrence.

METHODS

A single-center Puerto Rican population-based retrospective study was performed to analyze data for patients treated for CSDH at 1 institution between July 1, 2017, and December 31, 2019. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to create a grading scale predictive of recurrence. Retrospective validation was conducted for the cohort.

RESULTS

Of 108 patients included in the study, 42 had recurrence, and 66 had nonrecurrence. Postoperative subdural space, postoperative midline shift, and pneumocephalus volume were all higher with recurrence (P = 0.002, P = 0.009, and P < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis was used to create a 6-point grading scale comprising 3 variables (pneumocephalus volume [< 10, 10-20, 21-30, and > 30 cm3], postoperative midline shift [< 0.4, 0.41-1.0, and > 1.0 cm], and laterality [unilateral and bilateral]). Recurrence rates progressively increased in low-risk to high-risk groups (2/18 [11%] vs 21/34 [62%]; P < 0.003).

CONCLUSION

The mPRRS incorporating pneumocephalus measurement improves CSDH recurrence prediction. The mPRRS indicated that patients with higher scores have a greater risk of recurrence and emphasized the importance of measuring postoperative variables for prediction. The mPRRS grading scale for CSDHs may be applicable not only to the Puerto Rican population but also to the general population.

Biofluid Biomarkers in the Prognosis of Chronic Subdural Hematoma: A Systematic Scoping Review

The present systematic scoping review aimed at mapping and analyzing the available literature on biological fluid (biofluid) biomarkers showing promise in the prediction of chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) recurrence and the prognosis of neurological/functional patient outcome. Twenty-three studies published between 2003 and 2023 investigating a diverse range of biomarkers in hematoma fluid and/or the circulation in 3749 patients were included. Immune cell populations and inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cytokines comprised the most studied category of biomarkers displaying significant findings. A notable time trend in biomarker studies was a recent shift in research focus towards the analysis of circulating biomarkers. Several biomarkers were indicated as independent predictors of cSDH recurrence and/or functional/neurological outcome, including circulating fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP-1) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), as well as blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and the ratios of blood neutrophil to lymphocyte (NLR) or red blood cell distribution width to platelet count (RPR). While studies on cSDH prognostic biomarkers have gained, in recent years, momentum, additional multicenter prospective studies are warranted to confirm and extend their findings. The identification of prognostic biofluid biomarkers in cSDH is an active field of research that may provide future tools, guiding clinical decisions and allowing for the design of treatments based on risk stratification.

Development and validation of a recurrent prediction model for patients with unilateral chronic subdural hematoma without hematoma volumetric analysis

OBJECTIVE

Approximately 10 % of patients with chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) undergo reoperation after initial surgery. This study aimed to develop a predictive model for the recurrence of unilateral CSDH at initial surgery without hematoma volumetric analysis.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective cohort study evaluated pre- and postoperative computed tomography (CT) images of patients with unilateral CSDH. The pre- and postoperative midline shift (MLS), residual hematoma thickness, and subdural cavity thickness (SCT) were measured. CT images were classified based on the internal architecture of the hematoma (homogenous, laminar, trabecular, separated, and gradation subtypes).

RESULTS

Total 231 patients with unilateral CSDH underwent burr hole craniostomy. After receiver operating characteristic analysis, preoperative MLS and postoperative SCT showed better areas under the curve (AUCs) (0.684 and 0.756, respectively). According to the CT classification of preoperative hematomas, the recurrence rate was significantly higher in the separated/gradation group (18/97, 18.6 %) than in the homogenous/laminar/trabecular group (10/134, 7.5 %). Four-point score was derived from the multivariate model using the preoperative MLS, postoperative SCT, and CT classification. The AUC of this model was 0.796, and the recurrence rates at 0-4 points were 1.7 %, 3.2 %, 13.3 %, 25.0 %, and 35.7 %, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Pre- and postoperative CT findings without hematoma volumetric analysis may predict CSDH recurrence.

Postoperative surveillance in cranial and spinal tumor neurosurgery: when is this warranted?

OBJECTIVE

The outbreak of COVID-19 and the sudden increase in the number of patients requiring mechanical ventilation significantly affected the management of neurooncological patients. Hospitals were forced to reallocate already scarce human resources to maximize intensive care unit (ICU) capacities, resulting in a significant postponement of elective procedures for patients with brain and spinal tumors, who traditionally require elective postoperative surveillance on ICU or intermediate care wards. This study aimed to characterize those patients in whom postoperative monitoring is required by analyzing early postoperative complications and associated risk factors.

METHODS

All patients included in the analysis experienced benign or malignant cerebral or intradural tumors and underwent surgery between September 2017 and May 2019 at University Hospital Münster, Germany. Patient data were generated from a semiautomatic, prospectively designed database. The occurrence of adverse events within 24 hours and 30 days postoperatively-including unplanned reoperation, postoperative hemorrhage, CSF leakage, and pulmonary embolism-was chosen as the primary outcome measure. Furthermore, reasons and risk factors that led to a prolonged stay on the ICU were investigated. By performing multivariable logistic regression modeling, a risk score for early postoperative adverse events was calculated by assigning points based on beta coefficients.

RESULTS

Eight hundred eleven patients were included in the study. Eleven patients (1.4%) had an early adverse event within 24 hours, which was either an unplanned reoperation (0.9%, n = 7) or a pulmonary embolism (0.5%, n = 4) within 24 hours. To predict the incidence of early postoperative complications, a score was developed including the number of secondary diagnoses, BMI, and incision closure time, termed the SOS score. According to this score, 0.3% of the patients were at low risk, 2.5% at intermediate risk, and 12% at high risk (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative surveillance in cranial and spinal tumor neurosurgery might only be required in a distinct patient collective. In this study, the authors present a new score allowing efficient prediction of the likelihood of early adverse events in patients undergoing neurooncological procedures, thus helping to stratify the necessity for ICU or intermediate care unit beds. Nevertheless, validation of the score in a multicenter prospective setting is needed.

Morphological changes in chronic subdural hematomas following upfront middle meningeal artery embolization: sequence, timing, and association with outcomes

OBJECTIVE

Middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) is an increasingly utilized approach for the treatment of chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs). The course of morphological progression of CSDHs following MMAE is poorly understood. Herein, the authors aimed to describe these morphological changes and assess their prognostic significance for the outcomes on follow-up.

METHODS

A single-institution retrospective cohort study of CSDH cases treated by upfront MMAE, without prior or adjunctive surgical evacuation, was performed. Clinical outcomes, complications, and the need for rescue surgery on follow-up were recorded. Hematomas were categorized into 6 morphological subtypes. All baseline and follow-up head CT scans were assessed for CSDH structural appearance, density, and loculation. Changes in CSDH size were quantified via 3D reconstruction for volumetric measurement.

RESULTS

Overall, 52 CSDHs in 45 patients treated with upfront MMAE were identified. Hematomas were followed for a mean of 92.9 days. Volume decreased by ≥ 50% in 79.6% of the CSDHs. The overall rescue surgery rate was 9.6%. A sequence of morphological changes after MMAE was identified. Hematomas that diverged from this sequence (5.4%) all progressed toward treatment failure and required rescue surgery. The CSDHs were categorized into early, intermediate, and late stages based on the baseline morphological appearance. Progression from early to intermediate and then to late stage took 12.7 and 30.0 days, respectively, on average. The volume of early/intermediate- and late-stage hematomas decreased by ≥ 50%, a mean of 78.2 and 47.6 days after MMAE, respectively. Early- and intermediate-stage hematomas showed a trend toward more favorable outcomes compared with late-stage hematomas. The density of homogeneous hypodense hematomas (HSDHs) transiently increased immediately after MMAE (p < 0.001). A marked decrease in density and volume 1 to 3 weeks after MMAE in HSDHs was detected, the lack of which indicated an eventual need for rescue surgery. In HSDHs, a baseline mean density of < 20 HU, and a lower density than baseline by 1 month post-MMAE were predictors of favorable outcomes. The baseline hematoma volume, axial thickness, midline shift, and loculation were not correlated with MMAE outcomes. Loculated, trabecular, and laminar hematomas, which are known to have unfavorable surgical outcomes, had MMAE outcomes similar to those of other "surgical" hematomas.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study was the first to describe the nature, sequence, and timing of morphological changes of CSDHs after MMAE treatment and has identified structural features that can predict treatment outcomes.

Puerto Rico Recurrence Scale: Predicting chronic subdural hematoma recurrence risk after initial surgical drainage

Background:

Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) commonly affects older individuals and is associated with a relatively high rate of recurrence after surgery. Many studies have created grading systems to identify patients at high risk of CSDH recurrence after the initial surgery. However, no system has been adopted widely. The authors present the first CSDH grading system created from a population-based single-center data set.

Methods:

A single-center Puerto Rican population-based retrospective analysis was performed on consecutive patients treated for a CSDH at a designated institution from July 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to create a CSDH recurrence grading scale. Retrospective validation was conducted on this sample population.

Results:

The study included 428 patients. Preoperative midline shift, postoperative midline shift, and size of postoperative subdural space differed between the recurrence and nonrecurrence groups (P = 0.03, 0.002, and 0.002, respectively). A multivariate analysis was used to create a 10-point grading scale comprising four independent variables. Recurrence rates progressively increased from the low-risk (0–3 points) to high-risk (8–10 points) groups (2.9% vs. 20.3%; P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

A 10-point grading scale for CSDH recurrence was developed with four components: preoperative midline shift (≤1 and >1 cm), laterality (bilateral, unilateral-right, and unilateral-left), size of postoperative subdural space (≤1.6 and >1.6 cm), and pneumocephalus (present or absent). Patients who scored higher on the scale had a higher risk of recurrence. This CSDH grading scale has implications for Puerto Rico and the general population as the elderly population increases worldwide.

Rigid Neuroendoscopy Assisted Hematoma Resection Reduces the Recurrence Rate of Chronic Subdural Hematoma With Mixed Density: A Retrospective Analytic Cohort Study

Background

The mixed density hematoma (MDH) has a high recurrence rate in chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). This study adopted rigid neuroendoscopy assisted hematoma resection to evacuate CSDH and investigated its efficacy as compared with the traditional burr-hole craniostomy (BHC) in CSDH with mixed density.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted at two centers between January 2015 and December 2020. The data of 124 patients who underwent BHC for CSDH with mixed density were collected and analyzed. A total of 41 patients underwent rigid neuroendoscopy assisted hematoma resection (neuroendoscopy group) and 83 patients were treated by the traditional BHC (control group). Follow-ups were conducted 6 months after the surgery.

Results

There was no significant difference in the baseline characteristics and preoperative CT features between the two groups (p > 0.05). The neuroendoscopy group had a lower recurrence rate than the control group (p = 0.043). Besides the neuroendoscopy group had a higher rate of hematoma evacuation (p < 0.001), less pneumocephalus volume (p < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (p < 0.001) and better Markwalder score (p < 0.001) than the control group within 24–48 h after operation. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the incidence of pneumocephalus, Markwalder score (at discharge and 6 months after surgery) and mortality. Moreover, the operation time was longer in the neuroendoscopy group (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

When compared with the traditional BHC, rigid neuroendoscopy assisted hematoma resection can better reduce the recurrence rate of CSDH with mixed density. Also, it surpassed the results obtained from BHC in reducing the volume of pneumocephalus, improving hematoma evacuation rate, promoting short-term neurological recovery, and shortening hospital stays.

External validation of prognostic models predicting outcome after chronic subdural hematoma

BACKGROUND

Several prognostic models for outcomes after chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) treatment have been published in recent years. However, these models are not sufficiently validated for use in daily clinical practice. We aimed to assess the performance of existing prediction models for outcomes in patients diagnosed with CSDH.

METHODS

We systematically searched relevant literature databases up to February 2021 to identify prognostic models for outcome prediction in patients diagnosed with CSDH. For the external validation of prognostic models, we used a retrospective database, containing data of 2384 patients from three Dutch regions. Prognostic models were included if they predicted either mortality, hematoma recurrence, functional outcome, or quality of life. Models were excluded when predictors were absent in our database or available for < 150 patients in our database. We assessed calibration, and discrimination (quantified by the concordance index C) of the included prognostic models in our retrospective database.

RESULTS

We identified 1680 original publications of which 1656 were excluded based on title or abstract, mostly because they did not concern CSDH or did not define a prognostic model. Out of 18 identified models, three could be externally validated in our retrospective database: a model for 30-day mortality in 1656 patients, a model for 2 months, and another for 3-month hematoma recurrence both in 1733 patients. The models overestimated the proportion of patients with these outcomes by 11% (15% predicted vs. 4% observed), 1% (10% vs. 9%), and 2% (11% vs. 9%), respectively. Their discriminative ability was poor to modest (C of 0.70 [0.63-0.77]; 0.46 [0.35-0.56]; 0.59 [0.51-0.66], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

None of the examined models showed good predictive performance for outcomes after CSDH treatment in our dataset. This study confirms the difficulty in predicting outcomes after CSDH and emphasizes the heterogeneity of CSDH patients. The importance of developing high-quality models by using unified predictors and relevant outcome measures and appropriate modeling strategies is warranted.

Use of the Subdural Hematoma in the Elderly (SHE) Score to Predict 30-Day Mortality After Chronic Subdural Hematoma Evacuation

BACKGROUND

The Subdural Hematoma in the Elderly (SHE) score has been recently developed to assess the 30-day mortality in acute and chronic subdural hematomas in patients >65 years and has shown good reliability. We aimed to validate the SHE score's accuracy to predict 30-day mortality on a homogeneous cohort of patients undergoing surgical chronic subdural hematoma evacuation at our Institution. We also investigated whether the SHE score could reliably predict the occurrence of 30-day chronic subdural hematoma recurrence needing surgery.

METHODS

We included patients from our prospectively collected database from January 2018 to January 2021. Patients with the availability of the following information were enrolled: age, Glasgow Coma Scale score on admission, hematoma volume, medical history, and outcome at 30 days. The SHE score was calculated for each patient, and the association between greater scores and 30-day mortality was investigated and its ability to predict 30-day and disease recurrence. Statistical significance was assessed for P < 0.05.

RESULTS

Three hundred twenty-one patients were included. Of them, 40 (12.5%) displayed mortality within 30-day: specifically, 0% of the group of patients with SHE score = 0, 4.3% of SHE score = 1, 14.5% of SHE score = 2, 39.3% of SHE score = 3, and 37.5% of SHE score = 4, with a statistically significant linear trend between greater SHE scores and 30-day mortality rates (P < 0.001, area under the curve 0.75 [0.67-0.82]). No significant association of the SHE score with the risk of recurrence needing surgery was detected (P = 0.4).

CONCLUSIONS

The SHE score proved helpful in predicting 30-day mortality in patients with chronic subdural hematomas, but no utility was observed to predict disease recurrence.