Adjunctive middle meningeal artery embolization after surgical evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
J Stroke Cerebrovasc DisAug 19, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchNeurosurgery
Tallal M Hashmi, Hafsa Arshad Azam Raja, Zain Tariq et al.
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In 30 seconds
This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of adjunctive middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) following surgical evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) in older adults. The analysis included eight randomized controlled trials and found that MMAE significantly reduced the odds of hematoma recurrence (OR, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.16-0.59]) compared to surgery alone, with no increase in complications.
Key findings
- Adjunctive MMAE reduced recurrence odds of cSDH (OR, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.16-0.59]).
- No significant difference in all-cause mortality between groups (OR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.24-3.42]).
- Functional outcomes did not significantly improve with adjunctive MMAE (OR, 1.23 [95% CI, 0.23-6.42]).
- Overall adverse events were similar between MMAE and surgery alone (OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.35-2.91]).
Why it matters
The findings suggest that adjunctive MMAE may be a valuable strategy to reduce recurrence of cSDH after surgical intervention, potentially improving patient outcomes without increasing the risk of complications.