Introduction: The incidence rate of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in the elderly is increasing. The objective of this study was to investigate the outcome in patients older than 80 years of age in whom ruptured aneurysms were treated by clipping surgery.
Methods: Data were retrospectively reviewed for 196 patients treated with clipping obliteration for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage between 1988 and 2011. Patients were divided into two age groups of 80-84 and =85 years old. The Glasgow Outcome Scale was assigned at discharge and classified into favorable (good recovery or moderate recovery) and unfavorable (severe disability, vegetative state, or dead) outcomes. Radiological and clinical characteristics were compared in two groups.
Results: One hundred six patients (54.1%) achieved favorable outcome. Preoperative grade and Fisher grade, but not age, were significantly associated with unfavorable outcome. Based on logistic regression analysis, poor preoperative grade and ruptured anterior cerebral artery aneurysm, but not advanced age (=85 years old), were the predictors of unfavorable outcome.
Conclusions: Advanced age itself did not represent a risk factor for unfavorable outcome of the elderly patients who underwent clipping surgery for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Patient Care: Clipping surgery for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage would be an useful treatment in the ninth and tenth decades.
Learning Objectives: Clipping surgery might be considered as the choice of treatments for aneurysmal SAH in patients aged 80 years or older.