Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Double Direct Injection of Blood into the Cisterna Magna as a Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
10:34

Double Direct Injection of Blood into the Cisterna Magna as a Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Published on: August 30, 2020

Survival of cardiac arrest after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

L Gerard Toussaint1, Jonathan A Friedman, Eelco F M Wijdicks

  • 1Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. Toussaint.Gerard@mayo.edu

Neurosurgery
|July 1, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac arrest (CA) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with higher mortality. However, survivors of CA after SAH can achieve good outcomes, with half living independently.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Neurosurgery

Background:

  • Survival and outcomes for patients experiencing cardiac arrest (CA) following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are not well understood.
  • Aneurysmal SAH is a critical neurological emergency often complicated by cardiac events.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the clinical course and outcomes of patients who survived resuscitation from CA after aneurysmal SAH.
  • To characterize the incidence and timing of CA in aneurysmal SAH patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical records for 305 patients with aneurysmal SAH treated between 1990 and 1997.
  • CA defined as a pulseless state requiring resuscitation; outcomes assessed using the Glasgow Outcome Scale.

Main Results:

  • 11 patients (3.6%) experienced 14 episodes of CA, with 9 occurring during hemorrhage or rehemorrhage.
  • In-hospital CA resuscitation was successful in all cases; overall mortality for CA patients (46%) was higher than for non-CA patients (15%).
  • CA patients had worse outcomes (mean GOS 2.5) compared to non-CA patients (mean GOS 3.9), but 50% of CA survivors had limited deficits.

Conclusions:

  • CA in aneurysmal SAH most frequently occurs at the time of initial or recurrent hemorrhage.
  • Successful resuscitation is likely for in-hospital CA.
  • While CA increases mortality risk after aneurysmal SAH, survivors' long-term outcomes are comparable to other SAH patients.
Abstract

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