Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the therapeutic efficacy of minimally invasive puncture and drainage (MIPD) facilitated by a three-dimensional (3D)-printed guide plate in the management of primary brainstem hemorrhage (PBH).
Methods: This single-center, prospective cohort study enrolled 30 PBH patients who underwent MIPD guided by 3D printing technology and 30 PBH patients who received conservative treatment, serving as the control cohort. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores of 1 and 2 at 30 days post-discharge. Secondary endpoints included hematoma volume at admission and post-treatment, incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and/or rebleeding, in-hospital mortality rate, and length of hospital stay.
Results: The treatment cohort demonstrated a significantly higher proportion of patients with mRS scores of 1 and 2 at 30 days post-discharge compared to the control cohort. Conversely, the treatment cohort exhibited significantly lower postoperative hematoma volumes, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, HAP incidence, in-hospital mortality, and hospital stay duration than the control cohort. However, no significant difference in rebleeding incidence was observed between the two cohorts.
Conclusion: MIPD guided by 3D printing technology is more effective than conservative treatment in PBH cases without extensive hemorrhage. This approach can alleviate hematoma pressure earlier, mitigate neurological deficits, reduce HAP incidence, shorten hospital stay, and decrease mortality and disability rates associated with PBH.
Keywords: 3D printing; minimally invasive puncture drainage; primary brainstem hemorrhage.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.