• Rahul Raj, Era D Mikkonen, Riku Kivisaari, Markus B Skrifvars, Miikka Korja, and Jari Siironen.
• Department of Neurosurgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: rahul.br.raj@icloud.com.
• World Neurosurg. 2016 Apr 1; 88: 592-597.

BackgroundSurgery for elderly patients with acute subdural hematomas (ASDH) is controversial, because postoperative mortality rates are reported to be high and long-term outcomes unknown. Thus, we aimed to describe midterm and long-term mortality rates of elderly patients operated for an ASDH.MethodsWe reviewed all consecutive ≥75-year-old patients operated on for an ASDH between 2009 and 2012. We recorded data on preadmission functional status (independent or dependent) and use of antithrombotic medication. Patients were followed up a median of 4.2 years (range, 2.5-6.4 years).ResultsForty-four patients were included. The majority of the patients (70%) were independent and taking antithrombotic medication (77%). Independent patients had a 1-year mortality of 42%, compared to 69% for dependent patients; 56% of patients taking antithrombotics and 30% of those without antithrombotics died within the first postoperative year. All patients with an admission Glasgow coma scale score of 3-8 died within the first postoperative year, if they used antithrombotics or were dependent before the injury. Of all 1-year survivors, 77% were alive at the end of follow-up.ConclusionIn this first surgical case series of 75-year-old or older patients with ASDH, the overall mortality rate appears to be relatively low, especially for preoperatively conscious and independent patients without antithrombotic medication. Patients alive at 1-year after surgery had a life expectancy comparable to their age-matched peers. The prognosis seems to be detrimental for preoperatively unconscious patients who were functionally dependent or used antithrombotic medication before the injury.Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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