Impact of middle meningeal artery embolization timing on chronic subdural hematoma resolution and functional outcomes - 26/08/26

, Hamza Adel Salim b, 1, Alireza Karandish a, Nathan Farkas a, Deepak Khatri a, Neil Haranhalli a, Amanda Baker a, Richard Zampolin a, Allan L. Brook a, Seon-Kyu Lee a, Nimer Adeeb c, James Grist d, Fulvio Zaccagna d, Yan-Lin Li d, Davide Simonato d, Diego Alejandro Ortega e, Nicole Cancelliere e, Jose Danilo Diestro e, Dhairya A. Lakhani hh, Joseph Carnevale f, Craig Schreiber f, Atakan Orscelik g, Zachary Abecassis h, Spencer Raub h, Georgios S. Sioutas i, Giancarlo Salsano j, Svetlana Kvint k, Andrew Falzon l, Vance Cantrell m, Brian Holliday m, Jefferson O. Abaricia n, Pedram D. Maleknia o, Leonardo Cruz-Criollo p, Samantha Schimmel q, Basel Musmar r, Matthew Alexander s, Jorge Rios Zermeno t, Koul Prateeka u, Ahmed Aljuboori u, Dominik F. Vollherbst v, Domagoj Gajski w, Jared Cooper x, Rahim Abo Kasem y, Sami Al Kasab y, Alejandro M. Spiotta y, Fawaz Al-Mufti x, Vladimir Kalousek z, Markus A. Möhlenbruch v, Luca Scarcia aa, Clemens M. Schirmer u, Thien Huynh t, Rabih G. Tawk t, Fabio Settecase bb, Stavropoula Tjoumakaris r, Pascal Jabbour r, Kunal Vakharia q, Mario Zanaty p, Santiago Ortega‐Gutierrez p, Jesse G. Jones o, Marco Colasurdo n, Hussein H. Nasser m, Sri Hari Sundararajan m, Pascal J. Mosimann cc, Erez Nossek k, Eytan Raz k, Lucio Castellan j, Bruno Del Sette j, Caterina Michelozzi dd, Davide Saraceno dd, Pietro Panni dd, Visish Srinivasan i, Jan-Karl Burkhardt i, Gaultier Marnat ee, Pietro Mario Santini ee, Michael R. Levitt h, Giuseppe Lanzino g, Waleed Brinjikji g, Jared Knopman f, Tareq Kass-Hout ff, Julian Spears e, Thomas Marotta e, Max Wintermark b, Vitor Mendes Pereira e, Maurizio Fuschi d, Adam A. Dmytriw e, gg, †, David J. Altschul a, †on behalf of the
MESH collaborators #
Graphical abstract |
Abstract |
Background and purpose |
Chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) affects approximately 20 per 100,000 individuals annually, with surgical recurrence rates of 10–20%. Middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) has emerged as a promising minimally invasive treatment, but the optimal timing remains unclear. We evaluated the association between MMAE timing and radiological and functional outcomes in cSDH.
Methods |
We conducted a retrospective multicenter international cohort study across 33 centres, including patients who underwent MMAE for cSDH between January 2018 and December 2024. Patients were stratified by timing from diagnosis: Q1 (≤1 day), Q2 (2 days), Q3 (3–6 days), and Q4 (>6 days). The primary composite endpoint required radiological success (hematoma thickness <5 mm at 1–3 months), absence of emergency surgical evacuation, and either functional improvement or good functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0–2). Propensity score matching compared Q1 and Q4.
Results |
Of 1,781 patients screened, 908 met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 73.7 ± 12.2 years, and 70.9% were female. Early embolization (Q1) achieved the primary composite endpoint more frequently than delayed embolization (Q4), with concordant improvements in radiological and functional components and no difference in rescue surgery. Good functional outcome was achieved in 76.0% of Q1 patients versus 63.8% in Q4 (absolute difference, 12.2%; P=.003; number needed to treat approximately 8). Hospital length of stay was 21.0 days shorter in Q1 versus Q4 (P<.001), partly attributable to the timing definition. In 174 propensity score-matched pairs, early embolization was associated with higher odds of achieving the primary endpoint (odds ratio, 6.41; 95% confidence interval, 3.29–12.48; P<.001), with pronounced benefit among patients receiving antithrombotic therapy (odds ratio, 8.06; 95% confidence interval, 3.65–17.80).
Conclusions |
Early MMAE (≤1 day from diagnosis) was overall associated with better outcomes compared with delayed intervention, particularly among patients receiving antithrombotic therapy. Prospective confirmation is warranted.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Interventional, Surgery, Subdural Hematoma, Traumatic Brain Injury
Plan
Vol 53 - N° 5
Article 101584- septembre 2026 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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