SWITCH

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Swiss Trial of Initial Decompressive Craniectomy versus Best Medical Treatment of Spontaneous Supratentorial Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Randomized Controlled Trial

  • IRAS ID

    203583

  • Contact name

    Andreas Demetriades

  • Contact email

    a.demetriades@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Inselspital Bern

  • Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

    NCT02258919

  • Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

    SNCTP 000001153, www.kofam.ch

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 8 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains a devastating disease with mortality rates up to 52% at 30 days. It is a major public health problem with an annual incidence of 10-30 per 100’000 population, accounting for 2 million (10-15%) of about 15 million strokes worldwide each year.

    The strategy of decompressive craniectomy (DC) is beneficial in patients with malignant middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. Based on the common pathophysiological mechanisms of these two conditions, this procedure is also frequently performed in patients with ICH, but is has not yet been investigated in a randomized trial.

    The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial is to determine whether decompressive surgery and best medical treatment in patients with spontaneous ICH will improve outcome compared to best medical treatment only.
    Secondary objectives are to analyze mortality, dependency and quality of life.

    Safety endpoints are to determine cause of any mortality and the rate of medical and surgical complications after DC compared with best medical treatment alone.

  • REC name

    Scotland A: Adults with Incapacity only

  • REC reference

    18/SS/0012

  • Date of REC Opinion

    2 Jul 2018

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion