Combined endovascular therapy of ruptured aneurysms and cerebral vasospasm.

Abstract

We describe two patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage due to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm and severe symptomatic vasospasm. The aneurysm was occluded with detachable coils followed by intra-arterial infusion of papaverine to treat vasospasm as an one-stage procedure. There was significant resolution of the vasospasm. The long-term clinical outcome in one patient was excellent, the other still has minor deficits. Combined endovascular aneurysm therapy followed by intra-arterial spasmolysis with papaverine is a technically feasible therapeutic alternative in patients with symptomatic vasospasm.