Burr hole surgery in the emergency room can be lifesaving for patients with acute subdural hematoma (ASDH). In the first part of this study, a strategy of combined burr hole surgery, a period of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring, and then craniotomy was examined for safe and effective treatment of ASDH. Since 2012, 16 patients with severe ASDH with indications for burr hole surgery were admitted to Kenwakai Otemachi Hospital. From 2012 to 2016, craniotomy was performed immediately after burr hole surgery (emergency [EM] group, n = 10). From 2017, an ICP sensor was placed before burr hole surgery. After a period for correction of traumatic coagulopathy, craniotomy was performed when ICP increased (elective [EL] group, n = 6). Patient background, bleeding tendency, intraoperative blood transfusion, and outcomes were compared between the groups. In the second part of the study, ICP was measured before and after burr hole surgery in seven patients (including two of the six in the EL group) to assess the effect of this surgery. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) were significantly prolonged after craniotomy in the EM group, but not in the EL group, and the EM group tended to require a higher intraoperative transfusion volume. The rate of good outcomes was significantly higher in the EL group, and ICP was significantly decreased after burr hole surgery. These results suggest the value of burr hole surgery followed by ICP monitoring in patients with severe ASDH. Craniotomy can be performed safely using this method, and this may contribute to improved outcomes.
Keywords: burr hole surgery; intercranial pressure; large craniotomy; posttraumatic coagulopathy; severe acute subdural hematoma.