Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41254694›Full record

ArticleTrials2025

Endovascular vs conservative treatment in patients with chronic subdural hematomas and mild symptoms: a study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial (EMBOTRIAL-1).

Giancarlo Salsano, Pietro Fiaschi, Giorello Laura, Mammoliti Sonia, Valeria Fontana, Luca Boni, Gianluigi Zona, Lucio Castellan

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06274580 (Endovascular vs Conservative Treatment in Patients With Chronic Subdural Hematomas and Mild Symptoms), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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.

NCT06274580 naunknown statusnot on this map

Endovascular vs Conservative Treatment in Patients With Chronic Subdural Hematomas and Mild Symptoms: a Multicentre Randomized Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorOspedale Policlinico San MartinoRan2024 to 2026Enrolled300ConditionsSubdural Hematoma, ChronicArmsembolization of the middle meningeal artery
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Giancarlo SalsanoDepartment of Radiology and Interventional Radiology, Neuroradiology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi, 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy. giancarlo.salsano@yahoo.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0602-7952
Pietro FiaschiNeurosurgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, 16132, Italy.
Giorello LauraClinical Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, 16132, Italy.
Mammoliti SoniaManagement of research activities and Grant Office, Galliera Hospital, Genova, 16128, Italy.
Valeria FontanaClinical Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, 16132, Italy.
Luca BoniClinical Epidemiology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, 16132, Italy.
Gianluigi ZonaNeurosurgery Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, 16132, Italy.
Lucio CastellanDepartment of Radiology and Interventional Radiology, Neuroradiology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi, 10, 16132, Genoa, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is a common neurosurgical condition that is prevalent in elderly patients. There are no well-defined guidelines for cSDH and management strategies vary widely among physicians and institutions, and this variability is expressed in the literature. In general, conservative management is reserved to patients who are asymptomatic or have minor symptoms with mild mass effect. Spontaneous resolution of cSDH is an unusual phenomenon and middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization seems to reduce the recurrence and progression rate of SDH compared to conventional treatments in multiple cohort studies. A randomized controlled trial is warranted to determine the effectiveness and safety of endovascular embolization for cSDH and whether MMA embolization is superior to conservative management in reducing the progression rate and surgical rescue event.

methodsThis is an Italian multicenter prospective randomized clinical trial with open-label treatment and blinded outcome assessment (PROBE design) to assess the superiority of MMA embolization compared to conservative treatment. A total of 300 patients are planned to be randomized 1:1 to receive MMA embolization (intervention) or conventional treatments (control). The primary outcome is the treatment arm failure which is defined as a composite of incomplete hematoma resolution or surgical rescue within 6 months follow-up. Incomplete hematoma resolution is defined as a reduction of the cSDH thickness ≤50% at follow-up compared to the hematoma thickness measured at the time of randomization. Surgical rescue is intended as hematoma removal for relief or symptoms that developed with continuous growth of the cSDH. In case of bilateral cSDH, the treatment failure occurred when primary outcomes criteria are satisfied for at least one of the two hematomas. DISCUSSION: This multi-centre randomized controlled trial is needed to evaluate the benefit-to-risk ratio of primary embolization of the MMA to facilitate resolution and prevent rescue surgical evacuation of cSDH. If MMA embolization turns out to be superior to conservative management in this trial, this may prompt further confirmatory trials and, at best, may change clinical practice and guideline recommendations.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT06274580, Registered on 6 February 2024. This protocol was developed in accordance with the SPIRIT Checklist and by use of the structured study protocol template provided by BMC Trials.

Indexed as

Conservative TreatmentEmbolization, TherapeuticEndovascular ProceduresHematoma, Subdural, ChronicMeningeal ArteriesEquivalence Trials as TopicHumansItalyMulticenter Studies as TopicProspective StudiesRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRecurrenceTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeBest medical treatmentChronic subdural hematomaEmbolizationMiddle meningeal arteryMild symptoms

Identifiers

PMID41254694
PMCPMC12625609

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.