Brainstem hemorrhage following decompressive craniectomy

Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is used for the management of refractory raised intracranial pressure, but the impact of DC on surgical outcome is still controversial. We report a 21-year-old man admitted to our hospital after a road traffic accident. The brain CT scan revealed a left hemispheric acute subdural hematoma. After DC, he developed a brainstem hemorrhage. Recovery was, however, good. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.