Impact of early external ventricular drainage on functional outcome after traumatic brain injury: a bicentric retrospective cohort analysis

Purpose: Several studies have confirmed that external ventricular drain decreases intracranial pressure (ICP) after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Considering its impact on ICP control and cerebral waste metabolites clearance, timing of external ventricular drain (EVD) insertion could improve CSF drainage efficiency. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of early EVD versus a later one on the 3-month outcome.

Methods: For this retrospective cohort study conducted in two regional trauma-center (Caen CHU Côte de Nacre and Beaujon Hospital) between May 2011 and March 2019, all patients with intracranial hypertension following TBI and treated with EVD were included. We defined the early EVD by drainage within the 24 h of the hospital admission and the late EVD insertion by drainage beyond 24 h. A poor outcome was defined as a Glasgow Outcome Scale of one or two at 3 months.

Results: Among the cohort of 671 patients, we analyzed 127 patients. Sixty-one (48.0%) patients had an early insertion of EVD. In the early EVD group, the mean time to insertion was 10 h versus 55 h in the late EVD group. Among the analyzed patients, 69 (54.3%) had a poor outcome including 39 (63.9%) in the early group and 30 (45.5%) in the later one. After adjustment on prognostic factors, early EVD insertion was not associated with a decrease in a poor outcome at 3-months (OR = 1.80 [0.73-4.53]).

Conclusion: Early insertion of EVD (<24 h) for intracranial hypertension after TBI was not associated with improved outcome at 3 months.