en Neurosurgery Neurosurgery Original Research: Clinical Science Original Research: Clinical Science Massive cerebral infarction is often accompanied by early death, secondary to brain edema and trans-tentorial herniation. Several reports indicate beneficial effects of decompressive craniectomy in this situation, but the efficacy of this procedure is still a matter of debate. A n experimental study in a period of3 years was done on2 3 patients with brain edema due to massive cerebral infarction 11 patients were subjects and were operated, and1 2 were in the non-operated group who only underwent conservative treatment. A ll patients in this study had GCS below 8. The m ean age of the operated patients was 54.5 yea r s and f o r the unoperated patients 64.4 yea r s. Mean GCS in the operated cases was 7.00 and in the unoperated cases was 7.66. In the operated g r o up 4 of 11 patient s lived (36.4%) and in the u l10perated group1 o f1 2 cases lived ( 8.3%). I n the living operated cases, 1 had GOS 4 and 3 cases had GOS 3. In unoperated cases 1 patient lived that had a GOS of2. These results show that decompressive craniectomy can be an effective lifesaving procedure for malignant brain edema after cerebral infarction and can also give acceptable functional recovery. Decompressive craniectomy, Cerebral infarction, Brain edema. 7 11 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-298-104&slc_lang=en&sid=1 ALI EBRAHIMI NEJAD 20031947532846003608 20031947532846003608 Yes From the Departments of*Neurosurgery, **Neurology, and ***Bio-Statistics & Epidemiology. Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, fran BEHNAZ SEDIGHI 20031947532846003609 20031947532846003609 No FATEMEH HOSSEIN NAKHAEE 20031947532846003610 20031947532846003610 No