A malignant middle cerebral artery infarction is a cerebral infarction affecting the entire territory of the middle cerebral artery. Although no specific studies on predictors of complicated course and mortality after hemicraniectomy following malignant middle cerebral artery infarctions exist, the analysis of further laboratory values (blood and cerebrospinal fluid parameters), clinical and imaging aspects (vital values and follow-up CT/MRI) justify further clinical investigation in this context.
Patients from the University Hospital Tuebingen who were treated on the intensive care unit for malignant middle cerebral artery infarction between 2023 and 2025 are included in this study. 30 patients have been enrolled so far.
Despite maximal therapy, including hemicraniectomy, the course of the disease in this patient group is sometimes complicated and even fatal; however, the precise factors and clinical parameters associated with unfavorable outcome remain incompletely understood.
In this retrospective study we analysed the risk factors in patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarctions that lead to hemicraniectomy and cause high mortality.