Stereotactic aspiration of thalamic hematoma. Overall results of 75 aspirated and 70 nonaspirated cases.

Among 145 cases of spontaneous thalamic hemorrhage, stereotactic aspiration of the hematoma was done in 75 cases in which the hematoma was greater than 6 ml and the limbs on the affected side could not be elevated. Thirty-one of 40 operated cases with a long axis greater than 3.3 cm were capable of returning to useful activity 6 months postoperatively (excellent to fair). The results 6 months from onset in the 145 cases were as follows: 43% excellent or good, 32% fair, 11% poor and 13% dead. These results appear to indicate that stereotactic aspiration can produce improvements in therapeutic results for cases of thalamic hemorrhage.