Surgery for lobar intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH) associated with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is believed to carry a high risk of postoperative rebleeding. The diagnosis of CAA is increasing with an aging population and external validation of the Edinburgh criteria on computed tomography (CT) scans. The aim of this study was to assess the postoperative risk of CAA-related ICH compared to non-CAA-related ICH.

We included patients admitted between 2008 and 2022 for spontaneous lobar ICH who underwent surgery at three university hospitals. A single-blinded neuroradiologist analyzed the Edinburgh criteria on the initial CT scan before surgery and assessed rebleeding on a repeat CT scan performed within 48 hours after surgery. Patients were classified into the “CAA group” according to the Edinburgh or Boston criteria, and into the “non-CAA group” if they had another cause of ICH.

A total of 140 patients were included, with 23 in the CAA group, 93 in the non-CAA group, and 24 in the undetermined group. The postoperative rebleeding rate at 24–48 hours did not differ significantly between groups (13% in the CAA group vs. 15% in the non-CAA group, P > 0.99). The overall rate of rebleeding associated with clinical deterioration did not differ between groups (9% in the CAA group vs. 6% in the non-CAA group, P = 0.66). The overall mortality rate during the acute phase did not significantly differ between groups (4% in the CAA group vs. 12% in the non-CAA group, P = 0.46). The modified Rankin scale score three months after discharge ranged from 0 to 3 for 63% of CAA patients compared to 53% of non-CAA patients, with no significant difference ( P = 0.59).

We did not find a significant difference in the postoperative rebleeding rate after ICH associated with CAA compared to other causes.