Symptomatic vasospasm and outcomes following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a comparison between surgical repair and endovascular coil occlusion

2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro A. Rabinstein ◽  
Mark A. Pichelmann ◽  
Jonathan A. Friedman ◽  
David G. Piepgras ◽  
Douglas A. Nichols ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Acute Hydrocephalus ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Coil Occlusion ◽  
Clip Application ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The authors studied patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) to determine whether the incidence of symptomatic vasospasm or overall clinical outcomes differed between patients treated with craniotomy and clip application and those treated by endovascular coil occlusion. Methods. The authors reviewed 415 consecutive patients with aneurysmal SAH who had been treated with either craniotomy and clip application or endovascular coil occlusion at a single institution between 1990 and 2000. Three hundred thirty-nine patients underwent surgical clip application procedures, whereas 76 patients underwent endovascular coil occlusion. Symptomatic vasospasm occurred in 39% of patients treated with clip application, 30% of patients treated with endovascular coil occlusion, and 37% of patients overall. Compared with patients treated with clip application, patients treated with endovascular coil occlusion were more likely to suffer acute hydrocephalus (50 compared with 34%, p = 0.008) and were more likely to harbor aneurysms in the posterior circulation (53 compared with 20%, p < 0.001). Logistic regression models controlling for patient age, admission World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grade, acute hydrocephalus, aneurysm location, and day of treatment revealed that, among patients with an admission WFNS grade of I to III, endovascular coil occlusion carried a lower risk of symptomatic vasospasm (odds ratio [OR] 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.14—0.8) and death or permanent neurological deficit due to vasospasm (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.08–1) compared with craniotomy and clip application. Similar models revealed no difference in the likelihood of a Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 3 or less at the longest follow-up review (median 6 months) between treatment groups (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.28–1.21). Conclusions. Patients with better clinical grades (WFNS Grades I–III) at hospital admission were less likely to suffer symptomatic vasospasm when treated by endovascular coil occlusion, compared with craniotomy and clip application. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in overall outcome at the longest follow-up examination between the two treatment groups.

Dose-escalation study of intravenous nicardipine in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

1988 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene S. Flamm ◽  
Harold P. Adams ◽  
David W. Beck ◽  
Richard S. Pinto ◽  
John R. Marler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Dose Escalation ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Dose Escalation Study ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Dose Levels ◽  
Fine Print

✓ A dose-escalation study of the calcium ion entry blocking drug nicardipine was performed using large dose infusions in 67 patients with recent aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). A safe, potentially therapeutic dose of the drug was determined. Patients admitted within 7 days of SAH from a documented cerebral aneurysm were entered into the study if no spasm was present on the initial angiogram. Nicardipine was administered as a continuous intravenous infusion throughout the 14-day period after SAH, regardless of the timing of surgery. To determine the safest possible dose, nicardipine was administered at seven dose levels from 0.01 to 0.15 mg/kg/hr. The total daily doses ranged from 27.7 mg to 375.0 mg. A follow-up angiogram was carried out on all 67 patients 7 to 10 days after SAH. Computerized tomography and neurological examinations were used to determine the presence of cerebral infarction. No major adverse effects, unexpected reactions, or permanent sequelae could be attributed to nicardipine. A decline in blood pressure was noted following administration of the drug. This occurred more frequently among patients given the largest dose but did not produce clinical problems or require discontinuation of the drug. Favorable outcomes were noted in 52 patients (78%). Vasospasm was found by arteriography in 31 patients (46%). A dose-related trend was noted: only eight (24%) of 33 patients treated at the highest dose level (approximately 10 mg/hr) developed arteriographic evidence of vasospasm. Symptomatic vasospasm was diagnosed in only two (6%) of 33 patients treated with this dose. Of the 34 patients receiving the lower dose levels, angiographic spasm was observed in 68% and symptomatic vasospasm in 27%. No deaths due to vasospasm occurred. Nicardipine appears to prevent both vasospasm and cerebral ischemia after SAH. A multicenter randomized double-blind trial to test this hypothesis is planned.

scholarly journals Increased levels of lipid peroxides as predictive of symptomatic vasospasm and poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (6) ◽  
pp. 1302-1305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takao Kamezaki ◽  
Kiyoyuki Yanaka ◽  
Sohji Nagase ◽  
Keishi Fujita ◽  
Noriyuki Kato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Cerebral Vasospasm ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Lipid Peroxides ◽  
Medical Complication ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poor Outcome ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Delayed Cerebral Vasospasm ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Cerebral vasospasm remains a devastating medical complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Reactive oxygen species and subsequent lipid peroxidation are reported to participate in the causes of cerebral vasospasm. This clinical study was performed to investigate the relationships between levels of lipid peroxides in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and both delayed cerebral vasospasm and clinical outcome after SAH. Methods. Levels of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) and cholesteryl ester hydroperoxide (CEOOH) in the CSF were measured in 20 patients with aneurysmal SAH. The patients' CSF was collected within 48 hours of hemorrhage onset and on Day 6 or 7 post-SAH. On Day 7, angiography was performed to verify the degree and extent of the vasospasm. The relationship between the patients' clinical profiles and the levels of lipid peroxides in the CSF were investigated. Both PCOOH and CEOOH were detectable in CSF, and their levels decreased within 7 days after onset of SAH. The levels of CEOOH within 48 hours after onset of hemorrhage were significantly higher in patients in whom symptomatic vasospasm later developed than in patients in whom symptomatic vasospasm did not develop (p = 0.002). Levels of PCOOH measured within 48 hours after onset of hemorrhage were significantly higher in patients with poor outcomes than in patients with good outcomes (p = 0.043). Conclusions. Increased levels of lipid peroxides measured in the CSF during the acute stage of SAH were predictive of both symptomatic vasospasm and poor outcome. Measurements of lipid peroxides in the CSF may be useful prognostically for patient outcomes as well as for predicting symptomatic vasospasm.

Characterization of perioperative seizures and epilepsy following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2003 ◽  
Vol 99 (6) ◽  
pp. 978-985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Lung Lin ◽  
Aaron S. Dumont ◽  
Ann-Shung Lieu ◽  
Chen-Po Yen ◽  
Shiuh-Lin Hwang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Predictive Factors ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Neurological Deficits ◽  
Loss Of Consciousness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fisher Grade ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The reported incidence, timing, and predictive factors of perioperative seizures and epilepsy after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) have differed considerably because of a lack of uniform definitions and variable follow-up periods. In this study the authors evaluate the incidence, temporal course, and predictive factors of perioperative seizures and epilepsy during long-term follow up of patients with SAH who underwent surgical treatment. Methods. Two hundred seventeen patients who survived more than 2 years after surgery for ruptured intracranial aneurysms were enrolled and retrospectively studied. Episodes were categorized into onset seizures (≤ 12 hours of initial hemorrhage), preoperative seizures, postoperative seizures, and late epilepsy, according to their timing. The mean follow-up time was 78.7 months (range 24–157 months). Forty-six patients (21.2%) had at least one seizure post-SAH. Seventeen patients (7.8%) had onset seizures, five (2.3%) had preoperative seizures, four (1.8%) had postoperative seizures, 21 (9.7%) had at least one seizure episode after the 1st week postoperatively, and late epilepsy developed in 15 (6.9%). One (3.8%) of 26 patients with perioperative seizures (onset, preoperative, or postoperative seizure) had late epilepsy at follow up. The mean latency between the operation and the onset of late epilepsy was 8.3 months (range 0.3–19 months). Younger age (< 40 years old), loss of consciousness of more than 1 hour at ictus, and Fisher Grade 3 or greater on computerized tomography scans proved to be significantly related to onset seizures. Onset seizure was also a significant predictor of persistent neurological deficits (Glasgow Outcome Scale Scores 2–4) at follow up. Factors associated with the development of late epilepsy were loss of consciousness of more than 1 hour at ictus and persistent postoperative neurological deficit. Conclusions. Although up to one fifth of patients experienced seizure(s) after SAH, more than half had seizure(s) during the perioperative period. The frequency of late epilepsy in patients with perioperative seizures (7.8%) was not significantly higher than those without such seizures (6.8%). Perioperative seizures did not recur frequently and were not a significant predictor for late epilepsy.

Paradoxical aggravation of vasospasm with papaverine infusion following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

1996 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 690-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent L. Clyde ◽  
Andrew D. Firlik ◽  
Anthony M. Kaufmann ◽  
MichaelP. Spearman ◽  
Howard Yonas
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Cerebral Artery ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Artery Aneurysm ◽  
Anterior Communicating Artery ◽  
Left Middle Cerebral Artery ◽  
Xenon Ct ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Fine Print

✓ 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.

Relationship between intracranial pressure and other clinical variables in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 408-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory G. Heuer ◽  
Michelle J. Smith ◽  
J. Paul Elliott ◽  
H. Richard Winn ◽  
Peter D. Leroux
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Intracranial Pressure ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Clinical Grade ◽  
Icp Monitoring ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poor Grade ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Increased Icp ◽  
Fine Print

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.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in young adults

2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biodun Ogungbo ◽  
Barbara Gregson ◽  
Alison Blackburn ◽  
Jane Barnes ◽  
Ramon Vivar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Female Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Aneurysms ◽  
Satisfactory Outcome ◽  
Good Grade ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The authors reviewed the management protocols for young adults who presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) at the Regional Neurosurgery Unit in Newcastle during a study period of 9 years. Aneurysmal SAH is uncommon in the age group selected (18–39 years) and, therefore, the performance of these patients has not been extensively reported in the literature. The authors also evaluated the good-grade rebleed rate (an index of management efficiency) in this cohort of patients. Methods. The Newcastle neurosurgical unit serves a population of close to 3 million people, and an average of 180 patients with SAH are seen each year. The majority of patients are transferred from other hospitals in the region. This study includes patients admitted between January 1990 and December 1998. A total of 1609 patients were admitted during this period, of whom 295 (18.4%) between the ages of 18 and 39 years constituted the study population of young adults. Two hundred ninety-five young adults presented with SAH; 181 (61.4%) were women and 114 (38.6%) were men, a ratio of 3:2. Of 246 patients in whom this value was recorded, 15 (6.1%) presented with a history of hypertension, and there was an association between hypertension and the occurrence of multiple aneurysms (Fisher two-tailed exact test, p = 0.008). Thirty-five patients (11.9%) presented with a hematoma on computerized tomography scans; of these, 20 (57%) were women and 15 were men. In six patients the lesion had rebled before treatment. The good-grade rebleed rate was three (1.7%) of 178. The overall favorable outcome rate was 83.8% (Glasgow Outcome Scale [GOS] 4 and 5) and unfavorable outcome occurred in 16.2% (GOS 1–3), with a total of 40 deaths in this group (13%). Age had no influence on outcome in young adults. Comparing the outcome at discharge with the follow-up evaluation at 6 months revealed that patients in the moderate and severe disability groups continued to improve and many achieved good recovery. Conclusions. In this report the authors detail the outcome of a large number of young adults with SAH. The incidence of SAH was higher in the female population, although the ratio was not as high as previously reported. The authors have also demonstrated a progressive increase in the incidence of aneurysmal SAH with age, even in young adults. Hypertension but not age influenced the occurrence of multiple aneurysms. The good-grade rebleed rate is low, although it is not zero. Generally, a satisfactory outcome was obtained and significant continuing improvements were noted between discharge and follow-up evaluation. This reflects the power of recovery in young adults. These are people whose economic productivity and fertility are at peak levels and therefore the financial and social burden occasioned by less-than-perfect outcomes is large.

Factors associated with the development of vasospasm after planned surgical treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2003 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 644-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Loch Macdonald ◽  
Axel Rosengart ◽  
Dezheng Huo ◽  
Theodore Karrison
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Ct Scan ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Aneurysm Size ◽  
Induced Hypertension ◽  
History Of ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The goal of this study was to determine factors associated with the development of symptomatic vasospasm among patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) who participated in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of tirilazad between 1991 and 1997. Methods. Data obtained from 3567 patients entered into trials of tirilazad were analyzed using uni- and multivariate logistic regression to determine factors that predict the development of symptomatic vasospasm. Symptomatic vasospasm was defined by clinical criteria accompanied by laboratory- and radiologically determined exclusion of other causes of neurological deterioration. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonographic and/or angiographic confirmation was not required. In these patients, the aneurysms were scheduled to be treated surgically, and no patient undergoing endovascular treatment was included. A multivariate analysis showed that factors significantly associated with vasospasm were age 40 to 59 years, history of hypertension, worse neurological grade, thicker blood clot on the cranial computerized tomography (CT) scan obtained on hospital admission, larger aneurysm size, presence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), prophylactic use of induced hypertension, and not participating in the first European tirilazad study. Conclusions. Symptomatic vasospasm was associated with the amount of SAH on the CT scan, the presence of IVH, and the patient's neurological grade. The association with patient age may reflect alterations in vessel reactivity associated with age. A history of hypertension may render the brain more susceptible to symptoms from vasospasm. The explanation for the relationships with aneurysm size, use of prophylactic induced hypertension, and the particular study is unclear.

A randomized controlled trial of high-dose intravenous nicardipine in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

1993 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 537-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Clarke Haley ◽  
Neal F. Kassell ◽  
James C. Torner ◽  
_ _
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Similar Frequency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Delayed Cerebral Vasospasm ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Because of their action as cerebral vasodilators, dihydropyridine calcium antagonists have received intense scrutiny for their potential benefit in ameliorating the devastating consequences of delayed cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). From October, 1987, to September, 1989, 41 North American neurosurgical centers in the Cooperative Aneurysm Study accrued 906 patients with recent (Days 0 to 7) aneurysmal SAH into a prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of high-dose intravenous nicardipine to test whether treatment with this agent improved overall outcome. Eligible patients received 0.15 mg/kg/hr of either nicardipine or placebo by continuous infusion for up to 14 days following hemorrhage. The 449 patients randomly assigned to the nicardipine-treated group and the 457 patients assigned to the placebo-treated group were balanced with regard to prognostic factors for ischemic deficits from vasospasm and for overall outcome. Other medical and surgical interventions were used with similar frequency in both groups, except that antihypertensive agents were used less frequently in the nicardipine-treated patients (26% of the nicardipine-treated group vs. 43% of the placebo-treated group, p < 0.001), and more patients in the placebo-treated group had intentional hypervolemia, induced hypertension, and/or hemodilution administered therapeutically for symptomatic vasospasm (38% of the placebo-treated group vs. 25% of the nicardipine-treated group, p < 0.001). The incidence of symptomatic vasospasm during the treatment period was higher in the placebo-treated group (46%) than in the nicardipine-treated group (32%) (p < 0.001). Despite the reduction in symptomatic vasospasm in the nicardipine-treated group, overall outcome at 3 months was similar between the two groups. Fifty-five percent of nicardipine-treated patients were rated as having a good recovery according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale at follow-up review and 17% were dead, compared to 56% and 18%, respectively, in the placebo-treated group (not statistically significant). These data suggest that high-dose intravenous nicardipine treatment is associated with a reduced incidence of symptomatic vasospasm in patients with recent aneurysmal SAH, but not with an improvement in overall outcome at 3 months when compared to standard management in North America. It is postulated that, while nicardipine prevents vasospasm, hypertensive/hypervolemic therapy may be effective in reversing ischemic deficits from vasospasm once they occur.

Leukocytosis as an independent risk factor for cerebral vasospasm following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
pp. 1222-1226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. McGirt ◽  
John C. Mavropoulos ◽  
Laura Y. McGirt ◽  
Michael J. Alexander ◽  
Allan H. Friedman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Cerebral Vasospasm ◽  
Leukocyte Count ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Symptomatic Vasospasm ◽  
Fisher Grade ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The identification of patients at an increased risk for cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may allow for more aggressive treatment and improved patient outcomes. Note, however, that blood clot size on admission remains the only factor consistently demonstrated to increase the risk of cerebral vasospasm after SAH. The goal of this study was to assess whether clinical, radiographic, or serological variables could be used to identify patients at an increased risk for cerebral vasospasm. Methods. A retrospective review was conducted in all patients with aneurysmal or spontaneous nonaneurysmal SAH who were admitted to the authors' institution between 1995 and 2001. Underlying vascular diseases (hypertension or chronic diabetes mellitus), Hunt and Hess and Fisher grades, patient age, aneurysm location, craniotomy compared with endovascular aneurysm stabilization, medications on admission, postoperative steroid agent use, and the occurrence of fever, hydrocephalus, or leukocytosis were assessed as predictors of vasospasm. Two hundred twenty-four patients were treated for SAH during the review period. One hundred one patients (45%) developed symptomatic vasospasm. Peak vasospasm occurred 5.8 ± 3 days after SAH. There were four independent predictors of vasospasm: Fisher Grade 3 SAH (odds ratio [OR] 7.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.5–15.8), peak serum leukocyte count (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02–1.16), rupture of a posterior cerebral artery (PCA) aneurysm (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.01–0.41), and spontaneous nonaneurysmal SAH (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.04–0.45). A serum leukocyte count greater than 15 × 109/L was independently associated with a 3.3-fold increase in the likelihood of developing vasospasm (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.74–6.38). Conclusions. During this 7-year period, spontaneous nonaneurysmal SAH and ruptured PCA aneurysms decreased the odds of developing vasospasm sevenfold and 20-fold, respectively. The presence of Fisher Grade 3 SAH on admission or a peak leukocyte count greater than 15 × 109/L increased the odds of vasospasm sevenfold and threefold, respectively. Monitoring of the serum leukocyte count may allow for early diagnosis and treatment of vasospasm.

Effectiveness of neurosurgical clip application in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 1036-1041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva H. Brilstra ◽  
Ale Algra ◽  
Gabriel J. E. Rinkel ◽  
Cornelis A. F. Tulleken ◽  
Jan van Gijn
Keyword(s):  
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poor Outcome ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Operative Complications ◽  
Clip Application ◽  
Poor Outcomes ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Neurosurgical clip application is the standard method used to prevent rebleeding in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The authors assessed the magnitude of the reduction in poor outcomes that accompanies a strategy aimed at surgery. Methods. Three hundred forty-six consecutive patients with aneurysmal SAH were studied. The authors estimated the number of surgically treated patients with good outcomes who would have had poor outcomes as a consequence of rebleeding if clip application had not been performed (A). They also assessed the number of patients whose poor outcomes were exclusively caused by operative complications (B). Without an operation some of these patients would have had poor outcomes because of rebleeding (C). The authors represented the number of patients in whom poor outcome was prevented by surgery with the following formula: A − B + C. They assessed the relationships between baseline characteristics of patients and aneurysms and the likelihood that a patient underwent surgery, the risk of operative complications, and the risk of rebleeding. The absolute reduction in the risk of poor outcome found in patients who undergo surgery was 9.7%. This implies that to prevent a poor outcome in one patient, surgery had to be performed in 10. The relative risk of poor outcome following surgery compared with that after conservative treatment was estimated to be 0.81. Logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant relationship between patient age older than 65 years and the occurrence of operative complications (odds ratio [OR] 2.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–6.03), between age older than 65 years and the likelihood of undergoing surgery (OR 0.12; 95% CI 0.07–0.2), and between a poor clinical condition at admission and the likelihood of undergoing surgery (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.14–0.47). The authors did not identify any predictive factors for rebleeding when the Cox proportional hazard model was used. Conclusions. The beneficial effect of a treatment strategy in which the goal is surgery is substantial. If new treatment modalities such as embolization with coils are explored, these should carefully be compared with surgery before they are generally introduced.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document