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BackgroundSeveral studies have searched whether early decompressive craniectomy (DC) can improve the long-term outcome of patients with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the effects of early DC remain unclear. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess whether early DC (time to surgery after injury <24 h) is better than late DC (>24 h) after moderate and severe TBI.MethodTwo reviewers independently searched Pubmed, Embase, ISI web of science, the Cochrane Library and Scopus databases from inception to 4 November 2014. Studies comparing the long-term outcome of patients following early and late DC after TBI were included. The long-term outcomes were evaluated by Glasgow Outcome Score, Extended Glasgow Outcome Score. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. Characteristics of the selected studies were extracted. Pooled results were presented by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs.I2was used to test heterogeneity. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to detect the relationship between bilateral pupil abnormality and unfavourable outcome.ResultsFive articles were eligible for this meta-analysis. The pooled results of comparison of unfavourable outcome and mortality revealed no significant difference in the early and late groups (ORs: 1.469; 95% CIs: 0.495–4.362;p > 0.05;I2 = 70.5% and ORs: 1.262; 95% CIs: 0.385–4.137;p > 0.05;I2 = 77.6%, respectively). Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that bilateral pupil abnormality was positive related to the unfavourable outcomes and mortality (r = 0.833;p < 0.05) (0.829;p < 0.05).ConclusionBilateral pupil abnormality is positive related to unfavourable outcome and mortality in the patients following DC after moderate and severe TBI. Early DC may be more helpful to improve the long-term outcome of patients with refractory raised intracranial cerebral pressure after moderate and severe TBI. However, more RCTs with better control of patients with bilateral pupil abnormality divided into the early and late groups are needed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]