Numbers and prevalence of decompressive craniectomy with and without rtPA among hospitalizations for ischemic stroke* by age (n = 4,248,955), Nationwide Inpatient Sample, 1999–2008.

Hospitalizations with ischemic stroke listed as the primary diagnosis were identified using the first listed International Classification of Disease 9th Revision clinical modifier (ICD-9 CM) diagnostic codes 433.11, 433.31, 433.81, 433.91, 434.01, 434.11, 434.91, and 436).*Patients with the diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhage (ICD-9 CM diagnostic codes 430, 431, and 432.x) and patients with the diagnosis of posterior intracranial circulation occlusion (ICD-9 CM diagnostic codes 433.01 & 433.21) were excluded.