Modified Valsalva maneuver after burr-hole drainage of chronic subdural hematomas: A single-center cohort study

BACKGROUND: Previous studies on the management of chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) mainly focused on the risk of postoperative recurrence and measures to prevent it. In this study, we propose the use of a non-invasive postoperative treatment method, the modified Valsalva maneuver (MVM), as a means of reducing the recurrence of cSDH. This study aims to clarify the effects of MVM on functional outcomes and recurrence rates. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted at the Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from November 2016 to December 2020. The study included 285 adult patients who underwent burr-hole drainage for the treatment of cSDH and received subdural drains. These patients were divided into two groups: the MVM group (n = 117) and the control group (n = 98). In the MVM group, patients received treatment with a customized MVM device for at least 10 times per hour, 12 h per day. The study's primary endpoint was the recurrence rate of SDH, while functional outcomes and morbidity 3 months after surgery were the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: In the current study, 9 out of 117 patients (7.7%) in the MVM group experienced a recurrence of SDH, while 19 out of 98 patients (19.4%, p < 0.05) in the HC group experienced a recurrence of SDH. Additionally, the infection rate of diseases such as pneumonia (1.7%) was significantly lower in the MVM group compared to the HC group (9.2%, p < 0.001, odds ratio (OR = 0.1). After 3 months of the surgery, 109 out of 117 patients (93.2%) in the MVM group achieved a favorable prognosis, compared to 80 out of 98 patients (81.6%) in the HC group (p = 0.008, with an OR of 2.9). Additionally, infection rate (with an OR of 0.2) and age (with an OR of 0.9) are independent predictors of a favorable prognosis at the follow-up stage. CONCLUSIONS: The use of MVM in the postoperative management of cSDHs has been shown to be safe and effective, resulting in reduced rates of cSDH recurrence and infection following burr-hole drainage. These findings suggest that MVM treatment may lead to a more favorable prognosis at the follow-up stage.