Long term outcomes following hemicraniectomy for stroke
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The study of long term functional outcomes following decompression hemicraniectomy for stroke.
IRAS ID
284742
Contact name
Sandeep Ankolekar
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College Hospital NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Stroke affects 17 million people worldwide each year and has devastating consequences to the person, their family, and the society at large. 5-15% of patients with ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke and aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage may develop life-threatening cerebral oedema with a mortality rate of up to 80% without surgical treatment of decompression hemicraniectomy (DHC); a procedure performed to relieve increased intracranial pressure. DHC may dramatically reduce this mortality to 20% in stroke although this comes at the cost of significant morbidity and disability.
Short term outcome studies (6-12 months) reveal considerable disability and morbidity in survivors but long term studies assessing the impact of DHC in stroke patients on functional outcomes are lacking.
Despite the reduction in mortality there is still scepticism whether this procedure should be performed because of the resultant disability and this study is to help inform neurosurgeons, stroke physicians and families about the long term outcomes.
Understanding the long term outcomes in these patients will help advance management so that patients and cares are better informed about prognosis and outcome.
The aim of this study is to assess the long term functional outcomes (cognition, mood, disability, quality of life, health care utilisation) in patients who have undergone DHC at King’s College Hospital London for stroke. This can help guide clinicians, patients and relatives to make informed decisions about the ethically perplexing and difficult decision on whether to proceed with DHC.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0168
Date of REC Opinion
26 Apr 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion