Objective
The symptomatic cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is one of the major factors which cause morbidity and mortality of the patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of intra-arterial nimodipine (IAN) infusion therapy in patients with symptomatic cerebral vasospasm.
Materials and Methods
Between February 2005 and April 2011, fifty patients with symptomatic cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal SAH were treated with IAN infusion. After selective arterial catheterization, nimodipine was infused at a rate of 0.1mg/min and a total of 2-3mg of nimodipine per vessel. We retrospectively reviewed the immediate angiographic results and clinical outcome at discharge.
Result
In 50 patients, 117 procedures of IAN infusion (1-7; mean, 2.3) were done. After the treatment, immediate angiographic improvement was achieved in 113(96.6%) of 117 procedures. No major complication was occurred. At discharge, 38(76%) patients showed favorable clinical outcome in a Glasgow outcome scale.
Conclusion
IAN infusion therapy is safe and effective for the treatment of cerebral vasospasm after aneurismal SAH.