[Evaluation of the hypertensive intracerebral hematoma based on the study of long-term outcome--Part III. Evaluation of neurological grading and CT classification].

: It is very important to have a standard neurological grading system and CT classification for "putaminal hemorrhage" to compare, contrast and discuss the results and the surgical indications of various workers. We evaluated 355 cases of putaminal hemorrhage for their long-term outcome by using neurological grading and CT classification of Kanaya et al and compared it with our new classification based on the mode of hematoma extension. The long-term outcome (ADL) showed a better correlation with our new classification. While by using the earlier method (Kanaya et al), there was no significant statistical difference in the ADL between the patients of neurological grade IVb & grade V and also between the patients of CT class II and IIIa. In this classification, the definition of CT class V is not clear as the putaminal hemorrhage does not penetrate into the thalamus. It also ignores the upward or downward extension of the hematoma. Therefore, we emphasize the need for the modification of the presently existing neurological grading system and the CT classification for a better correlation with the long-term outcome.