title: Protective effect of external ventricular drainage on cerebral vasospasm. A retrospective study on aneurysmal SAH treated endovascularly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cerebral vasospasm (VS) is one of the factors that can most significantly worsen the prognosis after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). A substantial body of evidence supports the idea that CSF diversion could prevent VS, even if this issue is still much debated. External ventricular drainage (EVD) is the recommended procedure for post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus. In this study we analyzed whether EVD, placed for acute hydrocephalus, is effective in reducing the incidence of clinical and radiological cerebral vasospasm in patients who underwent endovascular treatment for aneurysmal SAH.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively studied the incidence of radiologically confirmed VS in 141 patients treated endovascularly for aneurysmal SAH: 80 underwent EVD for hydrocephalus, 61 did not undergo EVD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VS occurred in 8.75% of cases (7 patients) in the first groups, while in 22.95% (14 patients) in the second group. In addition, patients not treated with EVD display a prevalence of VS in lower Fisher grades compared to the other group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that CSF drainage reduces the risk of vasospasms in patients with endovascular treatment for aneurysmal SAH.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University of Rome, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Italy. Electronic address: gdellapepa@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Della Pepa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University of Rome, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scerrati
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University of Rome, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albanese
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University of Rome, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchese
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University of Rome, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maira
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurosurgery, Catholic University of Rome, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sabatino
mesh_terms: D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D065840:Protective Factors; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014696:Ventriculostomy / Q000379:methods*
keywords: External ventricular drainage; SAH; Vasospasm