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.

Metaanalysis of tirilazad mesylate in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Tirilazad is a non-glucocorticoid, 21-aminosteriod that inhibits lipid peroxidation. It had neuroprotective effects in experimental ischemic stroke and reduced angiographic vasospasm after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Five randomized clinical trials of tirilazad were conducted in patients with SAH.