Houston brain injury lawyers have seen that brain surgery performed on patients who have suffered a brain injury, can improve prognosis for such patients. However, the picture is a little more muddied when you’re talking about elderly patients. A new study into the impact of brain surgery on elderly patients shows that approximately one third of senior citizens, who undergo a cranial operation, died in the hospital, while half died within a year after the injury.
Not all is bad news, however. Long-term follow-up of these patients over a period of 42 months shows that out of the survivors, two thirds had favorable outcomes as determined by a Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended score of at least five. While the outcome of the surgery in patients within the crucial one-year period is worrisome, the long-term outcome for survivors who live beyond one year seems to be favorable.
The analysis looked at 164 patients. 146 of these patients had undergone a craniotomy, while 14 had undergone a burr hole surgery, and four had undergone a craniotomy. 46 people died in the hospital after the surgery, and 118 patients survived. Out of the 118, 33 died over a period of one year.
51 patients were rated as having a favorable outcome, including 29 patients who died after more than a year, and 22 who had a Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended score of at least five. 89 patients were rated as having an unfavorable outcome, including 46 who died in the hospital, 33 who died within a year, and 10 who had a GOSE score of less than five.
The results of the analysis indicate that favorable outcomes after a traumatic brain injury in the elderly cannot be determined merely by hospitalization survival rates.
Vuk Vujasinovic is a Board Certified Houston personal injury attorney who practices Houston auto accident and other personal injury cases.
For more info on how Vuk can help you with your potential case please call him at (877) 724-7800 or fill out the contact form on the right.
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