Malignant ischemic stroke; Decompressive surgery; Guideline; Utilization; Eligible criteria; Prevalence KeyWords Plus: MIDDLE CEREBRAL-ARTERY; TERRITORY INFARCTION; HEMICRANIECTOMY

Decompressive surgery < 48 h from stroke onset reduces the prevalence of mortality and morbidity from malignant supratentorial infarction. We investigated if utilization of decompressive surgery changed in the Czech Republic (CZ) after the release of new guidelines regarding treatment of malignant brain infarction. The volume of decompressive surgery in 2009 in all centers in the CZ was assessed using the same methodology as in 2006. All neurosurgery departments in the CZ were asked to complete a questionnaire and asked to identify all cases of decompressive surgery for malignant brain infarction through a combination of discharge codes for "brain infarction" and "decompressive surgery" from electronic hospital charts. Data for 56 patients were obtained from 15 of the 16 neurosurgery departments....