Primary versus secondary decompressive craniectomy in traumatic brain injury: analysis of the indications and outcomes.

PURPOSE: Decompressive craniectomy (DC) reduces mortality in traumatic brain injury (TBI), but its impact on functional outcomes remains debated. DC is classified as primary or secondary; however, most studies analyze both together. This study aims to compare clinical and epidemiological differences between primary and secondary DC.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study analyzed severe TBI patients requiring primary vs. secondary DC admitted to our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (2014-2024). Epidemiological, clinical, and radiological variables were evaluated.

RESULTS

Among 312 ICU-admitted TBI patients, 72 underwent DC (45 primary, 33 secondary). Primary DC was performed intraoperatively during mass evacuation without prior intracranial pressure (ICP) assessment, while secondary DC was performed for refractory intracranial hypertension (ICH). Patients who underwent primary DC showed signs of more severe injury at admission, which was associated with higher mortality.

CONCLUSION

Secondary DC patients had a better initial prognosis and ICU course, likely due to the selection of less severe cases. Higher mortality in the primary DC group may reflect the greater severity of the initial injury rather than the negative impact of early intervention. A predictive model incorporating clinical (hemodynamic instability) and radiological (perimesencephalic cistern collapse, midline shift) criteria effectively differentiates primary DC candidates (AUC = 0.821, p < 0.0001).