[Experience of 23 cases of cerebellar hemorrhage--indication for evacuation of cerebellar hematoma].

Twenty-three cases of cerebellar hemorrhage diagnosed by CTscan were evaluated. The subject were 13 males and 10 females and the ages of the patients were 58 years in average ranging from 24 to 83 years. Fourteen cases were treated surgically. Evacuation of hematoma by suboccipital craniectomy were performed in 11 patients and suboccipital decompression alone in one case. Two cases were underwent ventricular drainage alone for treatment of hydrocephalus. ADL assessed at discharge of the hospital was as follows: ADL 1 or 2 in 13 patients, ADL 3 or 4 in 5 patients and ADL 5 (dead) in 5 patients. The patients with small hematoma of less than 40 mm in diameter on CTscan were recovered to ADL 1 or 2 regardless of surgical or conservative treatments. The authors concluded that evacuation of hematoma is indicated for the patients with hematoma of more than 40 mm in diameter on CTscan, for the patients whose consciousness level is progressively aggravated regardless of size of hematoma and also for the patients whose CTscan shows deformity or obstruction of ambient and/or prepontine cisterns.