Article

OBJECTIVES: To observe whether medical complications, the evolution of
neurological disorders and dependence and/or the discharge destinations are
different for patients treated by craniectomy for malignant cerebral infarction
in the middle cerebral artery compared to patients treated medically for severe
or malignant cerebral infarction in the same cerebral territory, during their
hospitalization in a physical medicine and rehabilitation department. PATIENTS
AND METHODS: This retrospective study compared patients treated by craniectomy
for malignant cerebral infarction in the middle cerebral artery and patients
treated medically for severe or malignant cerebral infarction in the same
cerebral territory. Patients were paired according to age, lesion side and
hospitalization period. RESULTS: Twelve patients treated by craniectomy (age
43+/-10.44) were paired with 12 patients treated medically (age 49+/-7.66). The
two groups were comparable in terms of general undesirable medical events. The
medical events related to craniectomy are described. The evolution of patient
deficiencies, the length of the hospital stay (194+/-118.93 days vs 152+/-94.64
days), the Functional Independence Measure at discharge (87+/-21.28 vs
95+/-22.19) and the number of direct home discharges (7 vs 9) did not
significantly differ between groups. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: No more medical
problems were observed in the patients treated by craniectomy than in the
patients treated medically, except for the medical events specifically related to
craniectomy, which extended the hospital stay but had no major repercussions.
CI - 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS ; FRANCAIS