Endovascular management of cerebral vasospasm. 2010

Ben McGuinness, and Dheeraj Gandhi
Division of Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Nelson B-100, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.

Cerebral vasospasm is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Most cases of vasospasm can be managed medically. Medical strategies for treatment include hemodynamic augmentation to improve cerebral perfusion pressure and medical therapy to prevent or reduce cerebral vasospasm. In patients with acute neurological deterioration, imaging assessment is essential to triage those patients appropriate for aggressive medical or endovascular therapy. Such imaging assessment can be performed with many radiologic techniques such as transcranial Doppler, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, and single-photon emission CT (SPECT). Advanced CT applications like CT angiography and CT perfusion are gaining popularity and playing an increasingly important role in the decision making. Endovascular techniques for treatment of vasospasm include intra-arterial administration of vasodilators and intracranial angioplasty. This article discusses the use of these endovascular techniques in the management of vasospasm and provides a current review of literature. Sustained efficacy of intra-arterial vasodilators is less well established at this time, and repeated treatments may be necessary. Balloon angioplasty is an effective technique in treating vasospasm and results in durable clinical improvement. It should be used judiciously, however, given a small risk of vessel rupture associated with intracranial angioplasty. The goal of angioplasty should be improvement of vessel caliber to augment flow rather than to achieve a picture-perfect result.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002536 Cerebral Arteries The arterial blood vessels supplying the CEREBRUM. Arteries, Cerebral,Artery, Cerebral,Cerebral Artery
D002560 Cerebrovascular Circulation The circulation of blood through the BLOOD VESSELS of the BRAIN. Brain Blood Flow,Regional Cerebral Blood Flow,Cerebral Blood Flow,Cerebral Circulation,Cerebral Perfusion Pressure,Circulation, Cerebrovascular,Blood Flow, Brain,Blood Flow, Cerebral,Brain Blood Flows,Cerebral Blood Flows,Cerebral Circulations,Cerebral Perfusion Pressures,Circulation, Cerebral,Flow, Brain Blood,Flow, Cerebral Blood,Perfusion Pressure, Cerebral,Pressure, Cerebral Perfusion
D003952 Diagnostic Imaging Any visual display of structural or functional patterns of organs or tissues for diagnostic evaluation. It includes measuring physiologic and metabolic responses to physical and chemical stimuli, as well as ultramicroscopy. Imaging, Diagnostic,Imaging, Medical,Medical Imaging
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013345 Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Bleeding into the intracranial or spinal SUBARACHNOID SPACE, most resulting from INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSM rupture. It can occur after traumatic injuries (SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE, TRAUMATIC). Clinical features include HEADACHE; NAUSEA; VOMITING, nuchal rigidity, variable neurological deficits and reduced mental status. Hemorrhage, Subarachnoid,Perinatal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Aneurysmal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Spontaneous,SAH (Subarachnoid Hemorrhage),Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Intracranial,Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Hemorrhage, Aneurysmal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhage, Intracranial Subarachnoid,Hemorrhage, Perinatal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhage, Spontaneous Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Aneurysmal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Intracranial Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Perinatal Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Spontaneous Subarachnoid,Hemorrhages, Subarachnoid,Intracranial Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Intracranial Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Perinatal Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,SAHs (Subarachnoid Hemorrhage),Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage,Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Perinatal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Aneurysmal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Intracranial,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Perinatal,Subarachnoid Hemorrhages, Spontaneous
D014665 Vasodilator Agents Drugs used to cause dilation of the blood vessels. Vasoactive Antagonists,Vasodilator,Vasodilator Agent,Vasodilator Drug,Vasorelaxant,Vasodilator Drugs,Vasodilators,Vasorelaxants,Agent, Vasodilator,Agents, Vasodilator,Antagonists, Vasoactive,Drug, Vasodilator,Drugs, Vasodilator
D017130 Angioplasty Reconstruction or repair of a blood vessel, which includes the widening of a pathological narrowing of an artery or vein by the removal of atheromatous plaque material and/or the endothelial lining as well, or by dilatation (BALLOON ANGIOPLASTY) to compress an ATHEROMA. Except for ENDARTERECTOMY, usually these procedures are performed via catheterization as minimally invasive ENDOVASCULAR PROCEDURES. Angioplasty, Transluminal,Endoluminal Repair,Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty,Angioplasties,Angioplasty, Percutaneous Transluminal,Endoluminal Repairs,Repair, Endoluminal,Repairs, Endoluminal,Transluminal Angioplasty,Transluminal Angioplasty, Percutaneous
D018570 Risk Assessment The qualitative or quantitative estimation of the likelihood of adverse effects that may result from exposure to specified health hazards or from the absence of beneficial influences. (Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 1988) Assessment, Risk,Benefit-Risk Assessment,Risk Analysis,Risk-Benefit Assessment,Health Risk Assessment,Risks and Benefits,Analysis, Risk,Assessment, Benefit-Risk,Assessment, Health Risk,Assessment, Risk-Benefit,Benefit Risk Assessment,Benefit-Risk Assessments,Benefits and Risks,Health Risk Assessments,Risk Analyses,Risk Assessment, Health,Risk Assessments,Risk Benefit Assessment,Risk-Benefit Assessments
D020301 Vasospasm, Intracranial Constriction of arteries in the SKULL due to sudden, sharp, and often persistent smooth muscle contraction in blood vessels. Intracranial vasospasm results in reduced vessel lumen caliber, restricted blood flow to the brain, and BRAIN ISCHEMIA that may lead to hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HYPOXIA-ISCHEMIA, BRAIN). Angiospasm, Intracranial,Cerebral Vasospasm,Intracranial Vasospasm,Cerebral Angiospasm,Cerebral Artery Spasm,Cerebrovascular Spasm,Intracranial Angiospasm,Intracranial Vascular Spasm,Angiospasm, Cerebral,Angiospasms, Cerebral,Angiospasms, Intracranial,Artery Spasm, Cerebral,Artery Spasms, Cerebral,Cerebral Angiospasms,Cerebral Artery Spasms,Cerebral Vasospasms,Cerebrovascular Spasms,Intracranial Angiospasms,Intracranial Vascular Spasms,Intracranial Vasospasms,Spasm, Cerebral Artery,Spasm, Cerebrovascular,Spasm, Intracranial Vascular,Spasms, Cerebral Artery,Spasms, Cerebrovascular,Spasms, Intracranial Vascular,Vascular Spasm, Intracranial,Vascular Spasms, Intracranial,Vasospasm, Cerebral,Vasospasms, Cerebral,Vasospasms, Intracranial
D023381 Endpoint Determination Establishment of the level of a quantifiable effect indicative of a biologic process. The evaluation is frequently to detect the degree of toxic or therapeutic effect. Endpoint Assay,End Point Assay,End Point Determination,Assay, End Point,Assay, Endpoint,Assays, End Point,Assays, Endpoint,Determination, Endpoint,Determinations, End Point,Determinations, Endpoint,End Point Assays,End Point Determinations,Endpoint Assays,Endpoint Determinations,Point Assay, End,Point Assays, End,Point Determinations, End

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