Received standardized medical therapy in an intensive care unit (ICU), which included elevation of the head of bed at 30°, intermittent hyperventilation administered, and intravenous mannitol. Mean arterial pressure was maintained above 90 mm Hg. Hemoglobin concentration was maintained at all times above 90 g/L. Hyperglycemia, hyperthermia and hypotension were avoided or corrected when present.

Aside from receiving standardized medical therapy, decompressive hemicraniectomy was performed by removing a large bone flap at least 12 cm in diameter and included parts of the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital bones, with further craniectomy to the floor of the temporal fossa. The dura was opened widely and duraplasty was performed using periosteum and temporalis fascia. The bone flap was either stored in a subcutaneous pocket in the abdomen or placed in the bone bank. Cranioplasty was performed during a separate admission on an elective basis not earlier than 6 months from the initial surgery.

Hemicraniotomy involves removing a large bone flap at least 12 cm in diameter and included parts of the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital bones, with further craniectomy to the floor of the temporal fossa. The dura was opened widely and duraplasty was performed using periosteum and temporalis fascia. The bone flap was either stored in a subcutaneous pocket in the abdomen or placed in the bone bank.

The primary outcome measure was functional status measured by the modified Rankin Score, dichotomized as a good status (mRS 0-3) or poor status (mRS 4-6). A score of mRS 0-3 indicates functional status ranging from no symptoms to "moderate disability" (defined in the modified Rankin Scale as requiring some help, but able to walk without assistance); mRS 4-6 indicates functional status ranging from "moderately severe disability" (unable to walk or to attend to own bodily needs without assistance) through to death. A cut off of mRS 3 was adopted a priori because the ability to walk independently, with or without the help of a device, was considered a favorable outcome. Follow-up assessments, including mRS, were at seven days, two weeks, one month, three months, and six months post-stroke.

The Secondary outcome measure is the survival of the patients at six months measured using mRS scores dichotomized at mRS 0-4 and mRS 5-6 at six months. A score of mRS 0-4 indicates functional status ranging from no symptoms to "moderately severe disability" (unable to walk without assistance and unable to attend to own bodily needs without assistance); mRS 5-6 indicates functional status ranging from "severe disability" (bedridden, incontinent and requiring constant nursing care and attention) through to death. The latter outcome was considered because it was included in previous trial reports