The objective is to evaluate the efficacy of early decompressive craniectomy (DC)
versus standard medical management ± late DC in improving clinical outcome in patients
with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Electronic databases and gray literature (unpublished
articles) were searched under different MeSH terms from 1990 to present. Randomized
control trials, case–control studies, and prospective cohort studies on DC in moderate
and severe TBI. Clinical outcome measures included Glasgow Coma Outcome Scale (GCOS)
and extended GCOS, and mortality. Data were extracted to Review Manager software.
A total of 45 articles and abstracts that met the inclusion criteria were retrieved
and analyzed. Ultimately, seven studies were included in our meta-analysis, which
revealed that patients who had early DC had no statistically significant likelihood
of having a favorable outcome at 6 months than those who had a standard medical care
alone or with late DC (OR of favorable clinical outcome at 6 months: 1.00; 95% confidence
interval (CI): 0.75–1.34; P = 0.99). The relative risk (RR) of mortality in early
DC versus the standard medical care ± late DC at discharge or 6 months is 0.62; 95%
CI: 0.40–0.94; P = 0.03. Subgroup analysis based on RR of mortality shows that the
rate of mortality is reduced significantly in the early DC group as compared to the
late DC. RR of Mortality is 0.43; 95% CI: 0.26–0.71; P = 0.0009. However, good clinical
outcome is the same. Early DC saves lives in patients with TBI. However, further clinical
trials are required to prove if early DC improve clinical outcome and to define the
best early time frame in performing early DC in TBI population.
Key-words:
Clinical outcome - decompressive craniectomy - traumatic brain injury