[Evacuation of chronic subdural hematomas with the Twist-Drill technique: Results of a randomized prospective study comparing 48-h and 96-h drainage duration]

Technical modalities for the evacuation of chronic subdural hematomas are still controversial. The Twist-Drill technique with closed-system drainage is becoming more widely used, but the influence of drainage duration on outcome has not been studied yet and therefore is still being debated.A prospective randomized study was conducted, comparing the results between two drainage durations. Forty-eight hours (Group I; n=35 patients) and 96 h (Group II; n=30 patients).The two groups had almost identical characteristics due to randomization. The mean volume of liquid drained was 120 ml in the first group and 285 ml in the second, a statistically significant difference. The rate of incomplete evacuation versus the rate of recurrence did not show any significant difference between Group I (5.7 % and 11.4 %, respectively) and Group II (3.3 % and 10 %, respectively). The rate of postoperative complications was 10.7 % in Group I but 26.9 % in Group II, with a respective 3.8 % and 11.4 % mortality rate, proving a statistically significant difference. Clinical improvement observed at discharge was 85.7 % and 84.6 % in Group I and Group II, respectively.With comparable recurrence and improvement rates, our study demonstrates that it is much more advantageous to remove the catheter at 48 h than leave it in for a longer duration. Not only is bed rest reduced, but the rate of morbidities is also significantly decreased.