Neurosurgical review
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Neurosurgical review · Jun 2020
ReviewSurgical management of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: insights from randomized controlled trials.
Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH) are a major cause of neurologic morbidity and mortality. The optimal management strategy of ICH remains controversial. We examine the available randomized controlled trial (RCT) data regarding neurosurgical evacuation of ICHs. ⋯ Data from three smaller RCTs on minimally invasive (stereotactic and endoscopic) surgical approaches randomizing 377, 242, and 100 patients with spontaneous ICHs suggest potential benefits relating to mortality and functional outcomes in patients with subcortical ICHs. While these RCTs do not clearly define the role of surgical resection for ICHs, they provide insights into opportunities for patient advocacy, clinical trial design, and future research studies. Ongoing studies building upon the potential for minimally invasive approaches for ICH evacuation may expand the surgical indications for ICH.