Paramedian suboccipital mini-craniectomy for evacuation of spontaneous cerebellar hemorrhage.

Patients with spontaneous cerebellar hemorrhage are usually treated by large suboccipital craniectomy for hematoma evacuation or by computed tomography-guided stereotactic aspiration of the hematoma. The present study evaluated the outcome and complications in 25 patients with spontaneous cerebellar hemorrhage treated by paramedian suboccipital mini-craniectomy and 21 patients treated by large suboccipital craniectomy. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to age, clinical grade, hematoma volume, hematoma location, hydrocephalus, and mean interval from admission to operation. There was also no significant difference in postoperative outcome between the two groups. However, patients treated by paramedian suboccipital mini-craniectomy were less likely to require blood transfusion, had a shorter operating time, and had less postoperative liquorrhea compared with those undergoing extensive suboccipital craniectomy. Paramedian suboccipital mini-craniectomy is a simple and effective method for hematoma evacuation that causes fewer complications.