Diffuse vasospasm after transcortical temporal lobectomy for intractable epilepsy

Cerebral delayed ischemia due to arterial vasospasm is a rare complication following epilepsy surgery. Here we report the third known case and first of diffuse vasospasm. A 48-year-old woman underwent a transcortical anterior left temporal lobectomy. Eleven days later, she had new-onset expressive aphasia with narrowing of the anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries, and increased velocities via transcranial Doppler. She was treated with fluids, nimodipine, and permissive hypertension. At 6 months, her speech was near baseline. Cerebral vasospasm may represent a rare cause of morbidity after anterior temporal lobectomy; a literature review on the subject is presented.