Application of YL-1 Needle in Chronic Subdural Hematoma Treatment for Super-Aged Patients

OBJECTIVE: The proportion of the super-aged population (at the age of 80 or above) in patients with chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) and the incidence of CSDH of the population have been increasing. Since it is widely accepted that YL-1 needle is effective in CSDH treatment, this paper aimed to probe into the efficacy of YL-1 needle in minimally invasive surgery for super-aged (at the age of 80–90) CSDH patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis on the clinical information of 17 super-aged CSDH patients having received the YL-1 needle puncture treatment provided by the hospital from May 2012 to December 2016 was performed. At the same time, another 19 CSDH patients (ages 60–79) who were hospitalized during the same period were randomly selected to form a control group. The same surgical treatment was provided for both groups to observe and compare the treatment efficacy. RESULTS: The patients of both groups were cured and discharged. Among the super-aged patients, there was 1 patient with postoperative hematoma recurrence, 1 patient with pneumocephalus, and 1 patient with wound infection; among the aged patients, 1 reported postoperative recurrence and 2 had pneumocephalus; The average length of stay of the super-aged group was 9.235 ± 2.948 days while that of the aged group was 7.316 ± 3.660 days, which showed no statistical difference. CONCLUSION: The YL-1 needle puncture treatment is safe and efficacious for both the super-aged and the aged CSDH patients.