Abstract
Background/Objectives: Postoperative intracerebral hematomas (POHs) are a common complication following brain tumor surgery and are typically associated with unfavorable outcomes. While extensive hemorrhages have been studied extensively, smaller, Non-Space-Occupying hemorrhages are frequently detected, yet their clinical relevance and associated risk factors remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to identify predictive factors for the occurrence of Non-Space-Occupying postoperative cerebral hemorrhages in patients undergoing brain tumor resection. Methods: A total of 1481 patients without a history of anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy underwent brain tumor surgery at our neurosurgical institute over a ten-year period. Non-Space-Occupying postoperative hemorrhages were diagnosed in 84 patients using cranial computed tomography (cCT) or magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) performed after the tumor resection. Demographic data, pre-existing comorbidities, and tumor characteristics were collected and analyzed. Results: Non-Space-Occupying POHs occurred in 5.6% of patients. The most frequent tumor type associated with POHs was glioblastoma multiforme (N = 33; 39.3%), followed by metastatic lesions (N = 9; 10.7%) and benign primary intracranial neoplasms (N = 31; 38%). None of the affected patients exhibited new neurological deficits or signs of increased intracranial pressure. A multivariate analysis identified the tumor size as an independent risk factor for Non-Space-Occupying POHs (p = 0.002), with patient age emerging as the strongest predictor (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Non-Space-Occupying POHs after a brain tumor resection are significantly associated with the tumor size, an advanced patient age, and the presence of pre-existing liver disease. The recognition of these risk factors may facilitate targeted perioperative monitoring and guide postoperative management strategies.