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Updated: Aug 14, 2026
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Double Direct Injection of Blood into the Cisterna Magna as a Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Published on: August 30, 2020
Arachnoid cyst with associated arachnoiditis developing after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Case report
Luis M Tumialán1, C Michael Cawley, Daniel L Barrow
1Department of Neurosurgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Journal of Neurosurgery
|December 31, 2005
Summary
A rare complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is spinal arachnoiditis, which can lead to thoracic spinal cord compression from arachnoid cysts. Treatment involves surgical intervention for cyst removal or fluid diversion.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Neurology
- Spinal Cord Medicine
Background:
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a critical neurological event.
- Spinal arachnoiditis is a rare but serious complication following SAH.
- Arachnoid cysts can develop in conjunction with spinal arachnoiditis.
Observation:
- A 53-year-old woman developed a T1-T2 spinal arachnoid cyst with arachnoiditis.
- This complication occurred one year after a Hunt and Hess Grade IV SAH.
- The cyst and arachnoiditis caused thoracic spinal cord compression.
Findings:
- Spinal arachnoiditis, with or without cyst formation, is an infrequent sequela of aneurysmal SAH.
- Potential risk factors include posterior circulation aneurysms, hemorrhage severity, and need for cerebrospinal fluid diversion.
- The case highlights a delayed presentation of spinal complication post-SAH.
Implications:
- Early recognition of spinal arachnoiditis post-SAH is crucial for timely intervention.
- Management strategies include surgical drainage, shunt placement, or cyst excision.
- Understanding risk factors may aid in predicting and potentially preventing this complication.
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