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    The content on this page is not current guidance and is only for the purposes of the consultation process.

    1 Draft recommendations

    1.1 Middle meningeal artery embolisation for chronic subdural haematomas should be used only in research. Find out what only in research means on the NICE interventional procedures guidance page.

    1.2 Further research should ideally be randomised controlled trials and report details of patient selection, technique used, rebleeding, functional outcomes, need for reintervention and length of hospital stay.

    Why the committee made these recommendations

    There were no randomised controlled trials (good quality clinical trials) and the evidence from observational studies was limited in quantity and quality. The evidence included a large number of people with chronic subdural haematomas, but only a small number had this procedure. The evidence included the procedure used at different treatment stages and with different aims. So, it is uncertain which group of patients will derive benefit from the procedure.

    Overall, the evidence does not raise any safety concerns, although the procedure can have complications. However, there is uncertainty about the efficacy of the procedure. So, it should be used only in research.