The functional and social outcome in 15 patients with brainstem hematomas surviving on the 15th day is reported. At the end of the first year post stroke, the main neurological deficits were sensory, postural and paresis of the 6th and 7th cranial nerves. This resulted from the preferential location of the lesions in the lateral and posterior pons. On a functional point of view, 8 patients were independent in daily living. Seven of them were regularly engaged in more elaborated activities, at home and outside: 1 had recovered his previous professional activities. Those functions evolved more slowly during the 2nd year and later on. A significant correlation was found between the initial neurological status and the functional outcome at 1 year, and also between the volume of the hematoma on C.T. scan and this outcome. In this series, the age of the patients was not correlated to the other variables.