Observational studyNeurosciences (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)2020
Efficacy of routine post-operative head computed tomography on cranial surgery patients outcome.
Observational study in Neurosciences (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Review
- Comparison of midline shift and ventricular size measured by transcranial ultrasound and non-contrast computed tomography in patients with acute subdural hemorrhage undergoing decompressive craniectomy: A prospective observational study.Surgical neurology international · 2025Article
- To scan or not to scan? A retrospective cohort study analysing the efficacy of routine post-operative CT after brain biopsy.Acta neurochirurgica · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo identify the role of routine postoperative head CT in changing postoperative management after elective craniotomies.
methodsWe conducted a retrospective study on adult patients who underwent cranial surgery. Exclusion criteria includes cranial CTs done postoperatively for urgent clinical indications, pediatric patients, CSF diversion procedures and sedated patients. Patients were placed into "positive" group if the physical assessment changed from the baseline in the form of clinical deterioration, and the "negative" group if the exam did not change. The data then were analyzed to identify which patients needed further medical or surgical management based on CT findings only with "negative" physical examination.
resultsTotal of 222 were included in the study. 151 patients had negative physical examination. Only 8 out of 151 patients had positive CT findings. Two patients out of 222 (0.9%) had a negative physical exam and positive CT findings that required additional action that wouldn`t be done urgently without routine postoperative brain CT. Only one patient out of 222 (0.4%) who was re-operated urgently based CT findings only and negative physical examination.
conclusionRoutine postoperative routine brain CT did not alter the course of medical management, even in the presence of significant radiological findings.
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