Decision making for decompressive craniectomy (DC) in patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (mMCAI) based on inclusion criteria of clinical studies: A systematic review

•Malignant middle cerebral artery infarction is an emergent and serious condition; the introduction of decompressive craniectomy as a treatment contributed significantly to reducing mortality and improving disability.•However, the decision-making process in selecting the patients to undergo surgery is not unified.•By summarising the inclusion criteria of clinical studies, we identified six factors that should guide the decision-making process: infarction volume, age, clinical neurological state, radiological findings, duration of infarction, and previous disability or poor prognosis.