MATERIAL and METHODS: The clinical condition, radiological findings and surgical treatment results of 42 cases that underwent decompressive hemicraniectomy for a malignant middle cerebral artery infarct were retrospectively evaluated in this study.

RESULTS: There were 19 males and 23 females. The age range was 27 to 78 years with a mean age of 57.6 years. The infarct area was the non-dominant hemisphere in 20 cases and the dominant hemisphere in 22 cases. Preoperative Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores were 5 to 12. The 42 cases with a malignant middle cerebral artery infarct were divided into 2 groups according to the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) as the unfavorable outcome group (Group 1) with a score of 1 to 3 and the favorable outcome group with a score of 4 to 5 (Group 2). There were 27 cases in Group 1 and 15 in Group 2. There was a statistically significant association between a good result and age, Glasgow coma scale at the time of surgery, duration until surgery, and non-dominant hemisphere involvement. All cases with a Glasgow coma scale score of 7 or below had a poor outcome.

CONCLUSION: Decompressive hemicraniectomy in malignant middle cerebral artery infarct can be a life-saving procedure but is not useful in cases with a Glasgow coma scale score of 7 and below. Keywords : Malignant middle cerebral artery infarct, Decompressive hemicraniectomy, Glasgow outcome scale