Postoperative midline shift as secondary screening for the long-term outcomes of surgical decompression of malignant middle cerebral artery infarcts

Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DC) can save the lives of patients with malignant middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. We proposed that postoperative midline shift is important for the long-term outcome of patients with MCA infarction. We conducted a retrospective study of DC in 38 patients with malignant MCA infarction. The long-term outcome was assessed one year after surgery using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Patients who had midline shift less than the optimal diagnostic cut-off point on the fourth postoperative day were classified as having a successful decompression and the remaining patients were classified in the failed decompression group. The successful decompression group mRS score was 4.20 +/- 0.89 one year after surgery and the failed decompression group mRS score was 5.11 +/- 0.76 (p < 0.0001). Successful decompression, resulting in postoperative midline shift of less than 5 mm, was a key factor for beneficial, long-term functional outcomes in patients with malignant MCA infarction. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.