Postoperative intracranial pressure in patients operated on for cerebral aneurysms following subarachnoid hemorrhage

1981 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 726-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew H. Kaye ◽  
David Brownbill

✓ The postoperative intracranial pressure (ICP) in 36 patients operated on for cerebral aneurysm following subarachnoid hemorrhage was studied. Not only was the baseline ICP significantly lower in patients whose outcome was assessed as “good” as compared with those patients with a worse outcome at 1 month after surgery, but also the height of the plateau waves and B-waves was significantly less in the patients who did well. The baseline ICP and the height of the B-wave formation were unrelated to the position of the aneurysm. Plateau waves were marginally significantly higher in aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery complex. Neither preoperative hypertension nor the use of antifibrinolytic agents made any difference to postoperative ICP. In patients with cerebral arterial vasospasm found preoperatively on the angiograms, the ICP tended to be lower in the postoperative period than in those without spasm.

2000 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Hashimoto ◽  
Jun-Ichi Iida ◽  
Yasuo Hironaka ◽  
Masato Okada ◽  
Toshisuke Sakaki

Object. Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in whom angiography does not demonstrate diagnostic findings sometimes suffer recurrent disease and actually harbor undetected cerebral aneurysms. The management strategy for such cases remains controversial, but technological advances in spiral computerized tomography (CT) angiography are changing the picture. The purpose of this prospective study was to examine how spiral CT angiography can contribute to the detection of cerebral aneurysms that cannot be visualized on angiography.Methods. In 134 consecutive patients with SAH, a prospective search for the source of bleeding was performed using digital subtraction (DS) and spiral CT angiography. In 21 patients in whom initial DS angiography yielded no diagnostic findings, spiral CT angiography was performed within 3 days. Patients in whom CT angiography provided no diagnostic results underwent second and third DS angiography sessions after approximately 2 weeks and 6 months, respectively.Six patients with perimesencephalic SAH were included in the 21 cases. Six of the other 15 patients had small cerebral aneurysms detectable by spiral CT angiography, five involving the anterior communicating artery and one the middle cerebral artery. Two patients in whom initial angiograms did not demonstrate diagnostic findings proved to have a ruptured dissecting aneurysm of the vertebral artery; in one case this was revealed at autopsy and in the other during the second DS angiography session. A third DS angiography session revealed no diagnostic results in 13 patients.Conclusions. Spiral CT angiography was useful in the detection of cerebral aneurysms in patients with SAH in whom angiography revealed no diagnostic findings. Anterior communicating artery aneurysms are generally well hidden in these types of SAH cases. A repeated angiography session was warranted in patients with nonperimesencephalic SAH and in whom initial angiography revealed no diagnostic findings, although a third session was thought to be superfluous.


2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 529-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose F. Alén ◽  
Alfonso Lagares ◽  
Ramiro D. Lobato ◽  
Pedro A. Gómez ◽  
Juan J. Rivas ◽  
...  

Object. Some authors have questioned the need to perform cerebral angiography in patients presenting with a benign clinical picture and a perimesencephalic pattern of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) on initial computerized tomography (CT) scans, because the low probability of finding an aneurysm does not justify exposing patients to the risks of angiography. It has been stated, however, that ruptured posterior circulation aneurysms may present with a perimesencephalic SAH pattern in up to 10% of cases. The aim of the present study was twofold: to define the frequency of the perimesencephalic SAH pattern in the setting of ruptured posterior fossa aneurysms, and to determine whether this clinical syndrome and pattern of bleeding could be reliably and definitely distinguished from that of aneurysmal SAH. Methods. Twenty-eight patients with ruptured posterior circulation aneurysms and 44 with nonaneurysmal perimesencephalic SAH were selected from a series of 408 consecutive patients with spontaneous SAH admitted to the authors' institution. The admission unenhanced CT scans were evaluated by a neuroradiologist in a blinded fashion and classified as revealing a perimesencephalic SAH or a nonperimesencephalic pattern of bleeding. Of the 28 patients with posterior circulation aneurysms, five whose grade was I according to the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies scale were classified as having a perimesencephalic SAH pattern on the initial CT scan. The data show that the likelihood of finding an aneurysm on angiographic studies obtained in a patient with a perimesencephalic SAH pattern is 8.9%. Conversely, ruptured aneurysms of the posterior circulation present with an early perimesencephalic SAH pattern in 16.6% of cases. Conclusions. This study supports the impression that there is no completely sensitive and specific CT pattern for a nonaneurysmal SAH. In addition, the authors believe that there is no specific clinical syndrome that can differentiate patients who have a perimesencephalic SAH pattern caused by an aneurysm from those without aneurysms. Digital subtraction angiography continues to be the gold standard for the diagnosis of cerebral aneurysms and should be performed even in patients who have the characteristic perimesencephalic SAH pattern on admission CT scans.


2001 ◽  
Vol 94 (5) ◽  
pp. 733-739 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Proust ◽  
Patrick Toussaint ◽  
José Garniéri ◽  
Didier Hannequin ◽  
Daniel Legars ◽  
...  

Object. The exceptional pediatric aneurysm can be distinguished from its adult counterpart by its location and size; however patient outcomes remain difficult to evaluate based on the published literature. Methods. Twenty-two children, all consecutively treated in three neurosurgery departments, were included in this study. Each patient's preoperative status was determined according to the Hunt and Hess classification. Routine computerized tomography scanning and angiography were performed in all children on the 10th postoperative day. Each patient's clinical status was evaluated 2 to 10 years postoperatively by applying the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). Twenty-one children presented with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and one child harbored an asymptomatic giant aneurysm. Thirteen patients were in good preoperative grade (Hunt and Hess Grades I to III) and eight in poor preoperative grade (Hunt and Hess Grade IV or V). The symptomatic aneurysms were located on the internal carotid artery bifurcation (36.4%); middle cerebral artery (36.4%), half of which were found on the distal portion; anterior communicating artery (18.2%); and within the vertebrobasilar system (9.1%). A giant aneurysm was observed in 14% of patients. Overall outcome was favorable (GOS Score 5) in 14 children (63.6%) and death occurred in five (22.7%). Causes of unfavorable outcome included the initial SAH in four children, a complication in procedure in three children, and edema in one child. Conclusions. Pediatric aneurysms have a specific distribution unlike that of aneurysms in the adult population. The incidence of giant aneurysms and outcomes were similar to those in the adult population. The major cause of poor outcome was the initial SAH, in particular, the high proportion of rebleeding possibly due to a delay in diagnosis.


1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 903-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuo Hashimoto ◽  
Choegon Kim ◽  
Haruhiko Kikuchi ◽  
Masayuki Kojima ◽  
Yoo Kang ◽  
...  

✓ Saccular cerebral aneurysms were successfully induced in two monkeys treated with ligation of the common carotid artery, experimental hypertension, and β-aminopropionitrile feeding. The cerebral aneurysms developed on the large arteries at the base of the brain, such as the anterior communicating artery and the internal carotid artery at the origin of the posterior communicating artery. Because of the similarity of the monkey to man as a species, the present results strongly suggest the significance of postnatal aggravating factors in the development of cerebral aneurysms in man.


1996 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 690-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent L. Clyde ◽  
Andrew D. Firlik ◽  
Anthony M. Kaufmann ◽  
MichaelP. Spearman ◽  
Howard Yonas

✓ Reports of intraarterial papaverine infusion as treatment for cerebral vasospasm are few and documented complications are uncommon. The authors report the case of a patient with paradoxical aggravation of cerebral arterial narrowing during selective intraarterial papaverine infusion intended to treat vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). A 48-year-old man presented to the authors' service with symptomatic vasospasm 10 days after experiencing an SAH. The ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm was surgically obliterated the following day, and thereafter maximum hypervolemic and hypertensive therapies were used. However, the patient remained lethargic, and a stable xenon—computerized tomography (CT) cerebral blood flow (CBF) study revealed CBF to be 15 cc/100 g/minute in the left anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and 25 cc/100 g/minute in the right ACA territories. Cerebral arteriography demonstrated diffuse severe left ACA and mild left middle cerebral artery (MCA) vasospasm. In response intraarterial papaverine was infused into the internal carotid artery just proximal to the ophthalmic artery. During the infusion the patient became aphasic and exhibited right hemiplegia. Arteriography performed immediately after the intraarterial papaverine infusion revealed diffuse exacerbation of vasospasm in the distal ACA and MCA territories. A repeat xenon—CT CBF study showed that CBF in the left ACA and the MCA had drastically decreased (2 cc/100 g/minute and 10 cc/100 g/minute, respectively). Despite aggressive management, infarction ultimately developed. This is the first clinical case to illustrate a paradoxical effect of intraarterial papaverine treatment for vasospasm following aneurysmal SAH. The possible mechanisms of this paradoxical response and potential therapeutic reactions are reviewed.


2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 408-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory G. Heuer ◽  
Michelle J. Smith ◽  
J. Paul Elliott ◽  
H. Richard Winn ◽  
Peter D. Leroux

Object. Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is well known to affect adversely patients with head injury. In contrast, the variables associated with ICP following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and their impact on outcome have been less intensely studied. Methods. In this retrospective study the authors reviewed a prospective observational database cataloging the treatment details in 433 patients with SAH who had undergone surgical occlusion of an aneurysm as well as ICP monitoring. All 433 patients underwent postoperative ICP monitoring, whereas only 146 (33.7%) underwent both pre- and postoperative ICP monitoring. The mean maximal ICP was 24.9 ± 17.3 mm Hg (mean ± standard deviation). During their hospital stay, 234 patients (54%) had elevated ICP (> 20 mm Hg), including 136 of those (48.7%) with a good clinical grade (Hunt and Hess Grades I–III) and 98 (63.6%) of the 154 patients with a poor grade (Hunt and Hess Grades IV and V) on admission. An increased mean maximal ICP was associated with several admission variables: worse Hunt and Hess clinical grade (p < 0.0001), a lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GSC) motor score (p < 0.0001); worse SAH grade based on results of computerized tomography studies (p < 0.0001); intracerebral hemorrhage (p = 0.024); severity of intraventricular hemorrhage (p < 0.0001); and rebleeding (p = 0.0048). Both intraoperative cerebral swelling (p = 0.0017) and postoperative GCS score (p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with a raised ICP. Variables such as patient age, aneurysm size, symptomatic vasospasm, intraoperative aneurysm rupture, and secondary cerebral insults such as hypoxia were not associated with raised ICP. Increased ICP adversely affected outcome: 71.9% of patients with normal ICP demonstrated favorable 6-month outcomes postoperatively, whereas 63.5% of patients with ICP between 20 and 50 mm Hg and 33.3% with ICP greater than 50 mm Hg demonstrated favorable outcomes. Among 21 patients whose raised ICP did not respond to mannitol therapy, all experienced a poor outcome and 95.2% died. Among 145 patients whose elevated ICP responded to mannitol, 66.9% had a favorable outcome and only 20.7% were dead 6 months after surgery (p < 0.0001). According to results of multivariate analysis, however, ICP was not an independent outcome predictor (odds ratio 1.26, 95% confidence interval 0.28–5.68). Conclusions. Increased ICP is common after SAH, even in patients with a good clinical grade. Elevated ICP post-SAH is associated with a worse patient outcome, particularly if ICP does not respond to treatment. This association, however, may depend more on the overall severity of the SAH than on ICP alone.


2021 ◽  
pp. neurintsurg-2021-017670
Author(s):  
Alexander Sirakov ◽  
Svetozar Matanov ◽  
Pervinder Bhogal ◽  
Stanimir Sirakov

Numerous devices and sophisticated strategies have been developed to further increase the number of aneurysms amenable to endovascular treatment.1–4 Despite the superfluity of available neurovascular armamentarium, wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms can still pose a significant technical challenge to the treating clinician.5–7 Neck bridging is a conceptually new approach, which provides increased occlusion rates with lower recurrence and complications rates.8–10 The Nautilus (EndoStream Medical) is an intrasaccular bridging device intended to assist in coil embolization of wide-necked cerebral aneurysms. This CE-marked device, available in various sizes, consists of flexible-layers, and is a nitinol-based, detachable implant. The device is delivered through a standard microcatheter with a minimal 0.0165" inner diameter and is fully radiopaque and completely resheathable.Owing to its unique ‘tornado’ like shape the device entirely reconstructs the aneurysmal neck, which facilitates the following coil embolization. In this video 1, we demonstrate the use of Nautilus - assisted coil embolization for a complex anterior communicating artery (AcomA) wide-necked aneurysm in the setting of acute subarachnoid hemorrhage.Video 1


2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Watling ◽  
J. Gregory Cairncross

✓ In this report, the authors describe three patients with malignant gliomas who experienced paroxysmal neurological symptoms triggered by standing. The symptoms were attributed to acute elevations of intracranial pressure, an uncommon phenomenon called “plateau waves.” In each instance, the attacks occurred despite the fact that the patient was receiving dexamethasone therapy and stopped promptly with the addition of acetazolamide. Acetazolamide, an orally administered carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, appears to be a specific and effective therapy for this uncommon neurological disorder.


1999 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 402-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nahal Mavaddat ◽  
Barbara J. Sahakian ◽  
Peter J. A. Hutchinson ◽  
Peter J. Kirkpatrick

Object. This study was conducted to define neuropsychological changes following operation for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) caused by rupture of an anterior communicating artery (ACoA) aneurysm and to assess the influence of the timing of surgery to clip the aneurysm.Methods. Cognitive outcome was evaluated using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery in patients with an ACoA aneurysm that had caused an SAH. Adult patients younger than 70 years of age who had achieved a favorable neurological outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale scores of 4 or 5) were studied 6 to 24 months postsurgery. Patients were divided into early (Days 0–3) and late surgery groups (after Day 3) according to the timing of surgery after the ictus. Neuropsychological analysis was performed by reviewers who were blinded to the timing of surgery.Forty-seven patients whose mean age was 51.5 years were tested. They were compared with age- and intelligence quotient (IQ)—matched controls by using premorbid IQ as estimated on the National Adult Reading Test. Patients showed deficiencies in several tasks of verbal fluency, pattern recognition, and spatial working memory; this profile of deficits was similar to that seen in patients who underwent temporal lobe excisions. However, there was no significant difference in cognitive performance between the early and late surgery groups.Conclusions. After open surgery for ruptured ACoA aneurysms, patients who have achieved a favorable neurological outcome still exhibit significant cognitive deficits, primarily in tests sensitive to temporal lobe dysfunction. However, early surgery does not carry a higher risk of neuropsychological disability.


1974 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Graham Vanderlinden ◽  
Lionel D. Chisholm

✓ Six cases of bilateral hemorrhage into the vitreous body related to intracranial hypertension are presented. Four were associated with ruptured cerebral aneurysms, and the others followed head injury. The onset of vitreous hemorrhage was delayed in all cases, and in five patients subhyaloid hemorrhages were present from 2 to 27 days prior to their extension into the vitreous. Visual acuity was greatly reduced. The ophthalmoscopic and slit lamp appearance of the vitreous are described. The hemorrhages usually cleared spontaneously within 24 months, and vision returned to normal. Surgical treatment to remove residual vitreous blood in selected cases is outlined.


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