Fat and neurosurgery: does obesity affect outcome after intracranial surgery?

Objective: Obesity has been linked to increased morbidity and mortality after some surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to determine whether obesity affects outcome after general neurosurgery and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Methods: Three data sets were analyzed, including a retrospective review of 404 patients undergoing cranial and spinal neurosurgical procedures, a prospective collection of 100 patients with aneurysmal SAH, and data from 3567 patients with aneurysmal SAH who were entered into randomized clinical trials of tirilazad.

Prognostic factors for outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background And Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe prognostic factors for outcome in a large series of patients undergoing neurosurgical clipping of aneurysms after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Methods: Data were analyzed from 3567 patients with aneurysmal SAH enrolled in 4 randomized clinical trials between 1991 and 1997. The primary outcome measure was the Glasgow outcome scale 3 months after SAH.