The Hunt and Hess scale describes the clinical severity of subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting from the rupture of an intracerebral aneurysm and is used as a predictor of survival.
-
grade 1
- asymptomatic or minimal headache and slight neck stiffness
- 70% survival
-
grade 2
- moderate to severe headache; neck stiffness; no neurologic deficit except cranial nerve palsy
- 60% survival
-
grade 3
- drowsy; minimal neurologic deficit
- 50% survival
-
grade 4
- stuporous; moderate to severe hemiparesis; possibly early decerebrate rigidity and vegetative disturbances
- 20% survival
-
grade 5
- deep coma; decerebrate rigidity; moribund
- 10% survival
History and etymology
It was first described in 1968 by two neurosurgeons from Ohio, USA:
- William Edward Hunt (1921-1999), neurologist and neurosurgeon; also of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome
- Robert M Hess (1931-2019) neurosurgeon