Iatrogenic arterial spasm relieved by intraarterial mannitol infusion

Catheter placement for blood brain-barrier disruption and enhanced chemotherapy delivery can sometimes trigger arterial spasm of moderate-to-severe degree. A slow infusion of a small quantity of intraarterially administered mannitol (10 mL of 25% mannitol) was evaluated as a means to obtain a rapid resolution of catheter placement-induced spasm. We prospectively report 12 consecutive cases of blood brain-barrier disruption among patients who developed catheter placement-induced spasm that was treated by this means without side effects, resulting in rapid resolution of spasm.