title: Cerebral vasospasm: results of a structured multimodal treatment.
abstract: Symptomatic cerebral vasospasm (CVS) with delayed ischemic neurologic deficits affects about one third of the patients after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In spite of the lack of definite evidence of large clinical trials, the devastating outcome of the natural history of symptomatic CVS demands an aggressive CVS treatment in a practically oriented, structured multimodal treatment regimen. With our treatment protocol good functional outcome could be reached in 66% of the patients with symptomatic CVS. This policy requires close and fast multidisciplinary collaboration between neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, competent in endovascular interventions, and specialists for neurointensive care. We report on our experience with 79 cases with symptomatic CVS and delayed ischemic neurologic deficit (DIND) after aneurysmal SAH. The different treatment options with CVS are reviewed and practical guidelines for a step by step treatment are given.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. emanuela.keller@usz.ch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Krayenbühl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bjeljac
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yonekawa
mesh_terms: D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*