Angiographically confirmed vasospasm after aneurysmatic subarachnoidal haemorrhage: Is the incidence of vasospasm influenced by the amount of contrast medium given in primary diagnosis?

Prognosis after subarachnoid haemorrhage secondary to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm is greatly influenced by arterial vasospasm. In 50 patients the influence of the amount of subarachnoid blood detected by CT and the amount of the nonionic contrast medium on the postoperative vasospasm and the outcome of the patient were investigated. For angiographically proven vasospasm, a grading system is suggested. There was a good correlation between the extent of the haemorrhage and the development of cerebral vasospasm. If used withih limits, the volume of the contrast medium does not seem to exercise any influence on the development of vasospasm and on the results after treatment. Therefore, a complete investigation of the cerebral vascular system should be performed before surgical management of the ruptured cerebral aneurysm is initiated. (orig.)