Turkish Neurosurgery 2006 , Vol 16 , Num 1
Treatment of Chronic Subdural Hematoma by Twist Drill Craniostomy With Irrigation
Gökhan BOZKURT1, Selim AYHAN2, Atilla AKBAY2, Selçuk PALAOĞLU2
1Institute of Neurological Sciences and Psychiatry; School of Medicine; Hacettepe University, Altındağ, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine; Hacettepe University, Altındağ, Ankara, Turkey
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the competence and the results of the treatment in which ‘Twist drill craniostomy and spontaneous hematoma efflux' is used in chronic subdural hematoma.

METHOD: A prospective analysis of bedside percutaneous subdural tapping and spontaneous hematoma efflux after twist drill craniostomy, a less invasive surgical technique, performed under local anesthesia in 20 adult patients.

RESULTS: 19 of the 20 patients had unilateral and one had bilateral subdural hematomas. 11 of the patients were treated by single drainage, seven of them were treated with up to five drainages and two of them were treated by craniotomy after attempting to efflux the hematoma by twist drill craniostomy. No complication occurred.

CONCLUSIONS: This therapeutic approach is suitable for elderly or otherwise medically frail patients who pose a high anesthesia and operative risk and also for other patients suffering from chronic subdural hematoma as a first and minimally invasive attempt. Keywords : Chronic subdural hematoma, Surgical treatment, Twist drill craniostomy

Corresponding author : Gökhan Bozkurt, gbozkurt@hacettepe.edu.tr