PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF THE AMOUNT OF POSTTRAUMATIC SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE IN A 6 MONTH FOLLOW-UP PERIOD

Clinical and radiological patterns from 148 patients with post-traumat ic subarachnoid haemorrhage (TSAH) were analysed with specific regard for the amount and distribution of blood in subarachnoid spaces to ver ify if these variables have any influence on overall outcome. The degr ee and extent of TSAH were classified according to Fisher's criteria: in 93 patients it was grade 1, in 36 grade 2, in 13 grade 3, and in si x grade 4. There was a significant correlation between increasing clin ical severity at admission and the amount of subarachnoid bleeding and a direct relation between a favourable outcome and a low Fisher grade . The distribution of subarachnoid blood was not significantly related to clinical condition at admission, whereas the pattern had a signifi cant impact on the outcome. The results of the present study confirm t hat TSAH is a negative prognostic factor. Whereas the degree of TSAH i s mainly related to at admission, the of subarachnoid blood clots both in basal cisterns and over the cerebral convexity indicates a poor ou tcome.