Chronic subdural haematoma: surgical treatment and outcome in 1000 cases

A retrospective study (1980-2002) of the records of 1000 patients harbouring 1097 chronic subdural haematoma treated with burr-hole craniotomy with closed-system drainage was carried out. The series included 628 males and 372 females, age range 12-100 years, mean age 72.7 ± 11.4 years. The mean interval from trauma to appearance of clinical symptoms was 49.1 ± 7.4 days (15-751). The principal symptom was headache (29.7%) in the over 70s, and behavioural disturbance (33.8%) in the under 70s. The CSDH was right sided in 432 patients, left sided in 471, and bilateral in the remaining 97 cases. Post-operative complications occurred in 196 patients and 21 patients died in hospital. Poor prognosis was related to patient's age (>70) and clinical grade on admission (grades 0-2 versus grades 3-4).