Intracerebral hematomas caused by aneurysm rupture. Experience with 67 cases

During a six-year period (1986-1992) 334 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) were admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Lubeck, Germany. In 281 patients the SAH was caused by rupture of an intracranial arterial aneurysm, verified by angiography, postmortem examination, or at emergency operation without angiography. In 67 (23.8 %) of the 281 aneurysmal SAH patients the initial computerized tomography (CT) demonstrated an intracerebral hematoma (ICH). An ICH localized in the temporal lobe due to the rupture of a middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm was found in 47 patients (70.2 %). Forty-three patients were considered for surgery with a surgical mortality of 8 (15.6 %). In the group of 19 ICH patients not operated upon. 16 individuals died (84.2 %). We therefore advocate active surgical management of ICH patients: hematoma evacuation and aneurysm clipping at the same operation. Emergency surgery in younger patients (grade V) with temporal ICH suggesting the rupture of a MCA or internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm can be done without angiography.