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Background: There are limited data on the long-term outcome and on factors influencing the prognosis in patients with cerebellar infarcts treated with surgical decompression., Methods: Thirty-two patients (age 64.3 ± 9.9 years) with expansive unilateral cerebellar infarcts were retrospectively evaluated. All patients were treated with ventriculostomy, suboccipital decompressive craniectomy and removal of the necrotic tissue. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the Reaction Level Scale (RLS) scores evaluated the level of consciousness during hospitalization, while the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used for the 6-month and long-term outcome. Predicting factors were analyzed using a univariate logistic regression model., Results: The median time from ictus to surgery was 48.4 h (range 8-120 h). Before surgery, the median GCS score was 9 (3-13). At discharge, the GCS score improved to 13.6 (7-15) (p < 0.05 compared to preoperative scores). At the long-term follow-up (median 67.5 months), ten patients were dead, and 77% of survivors had a good outcome (mRS score of ≤2). The number of days on a ventilator and the GCS score prior to surgery and at discharge were strong predictors of clinical outcome (p < 0.05), although one third of patients with a GCS ≤ 8 at the time of surgery had a good long-term outcome. In patients ≥70 years old, 50% had a good long-term outcome, and advanced age was not associated with a bad result (p > 0.05)., Conclusions: Our results imply that surgical evacuation of significant cerebellar infarctions may be considered also in patients with advanced age and/or a decreased level of consciousness.

Objectives: To analyze the initial clinical and radiological findings, the surgical treatment, and the clinical outcome following surgical decompression in patients with space-occupying bilateral cerebellar infarction., Materials and Methods: Ten patients with expansive bilateral cerebellar infarction and decreased level of consciousness were operated with suboccipital craniectomy, removal of the infarcted tissue, and placement of external ventricular drainage. Long-term outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin scale (mRS)., Results: Mean Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score before surgery was 8.9 ± 3.3 and improved to 12.6 ± 3.6 at discharge. At the long-term follow-up (median 57.6 months), six patients had a favorable outcome (mRS 1.3 ± 0.8). Four patients, all with an associated brain stem infarct, had a poor outcome., Conclusions: In the absence of brain stem infarcts, surgical treatment resulted in a favorable clinical outcome and should be considered a treatment option for patients with expansive bilateral cerebellar infarction., (© 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)