Carotid artery vasospasm complicating extensive skull base surgery: cause, prevention, and management

Arterial spasm is rarely encountered in the uncomplicated cervical lymphadenectomy. Intense, often dramatic, vasospasm of the internal carotid artery, however, is not infrequently observed in the removal of skull-base lesions. This myogenic reaction is independent of autonomic innervation, occurs more frequently in younger patients, and appears to be due mainly to longitudinal arterial traction and prolonged arterial contact with fresh blood. A case of severe internal carotid artery spasm, which led to a fatal stroke in a young woman who underwent removal of a large glomus jugulare tumor, is presented to emphasize not only the lethal potential of carotid spasm, but intraoperative changes in the character of the artery which suggest the need for immediate spasmolysis. Perioperative guidelines for the prevention and treatment of arterial spasm--including topical and systemic pharmacotherapy and refined surgical techniques--are outlined on the basis of our subsequent experience.