Posttraumatic Cerebral Infarction After Decompressive Craniectomy for Traumatic Brain Injury: Incidence, Risk Factors and Outcome

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the incidence, timing, risk factors of posttraumatic cerebral infarction (PTCI) and its influence on mortality inpatients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).MATERIAL and METHODS: After reviewing the medical records and radiographs over a 6-year period, 173 patients with moderateto severe TBI were enrolled to determine the risk factors for the development of PTCI following unilateral decompressive craniectomy(DC).RESULTS: The incidence of PTCI following DC was 31.2%. Infarction in the posterior cerebral artery territory was the most commonsite of PTCI. The PTCI group had a significantly increased mortality (p