Comparison of irrigation versus no irrigation during burr hole evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma

Objective: To compare the results of the use of irrigation versus no irrigation during burr hole evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH).Methodology: The study was a retrospective chart review of those patients who underwent burr hole evacuation of CSDH during a period of 5 years. Cases were divided into two groups based on the use of irrigation during surgery. A subdural drain was placed in all patients (i.e., in both the irrigation and no-irrigation groups) and removed 24 to 48 hours postoperatively.Results: The total sample size was 56, of which 34 patients were in the irrigation group and 22 in the no-irrigation group. Recurrence rate was 17.6% in the irrigation group and 9.1% in the no-irrigation group (p = 0.46). Systemic complications were predominantly cardiac related in the no-irrigation group compared with respiratory complications in the irrigation group. The irrigation group had a mortality rate of 5.9% compared with 4.5% in the no-irrigation group (p = 0.66).Conclusion: No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of recurrence or mortality