Barbiturates for cerebral aneurysm surgery. A review of preliminary results

Ninety-two cerebral aneurysm cases treated by clipping under moderate hypothermia are reviewed. Twenty-three of these cases received pentobarbitone during surgery in doses sufficient to render the EEG flat. The overall combined mortality and morbidity (complication rate) among 69 non-barbiturate cases was 21.7%. There were significant differences in results between aneurysms in different anatomical locations. The complication rate among eight middle cerebral artery aneurysm cases was 62.5% and among ten internal carotid artery bifurcation cases 40%, while that among nineteen internal carotid artery cases was 16% and among 27 anterior communicating complex cases 7.4%. The overall complication rate among 23 pentobarbitone cases was 17%. There were no complications among eight middle cerebral artery cases; one of two internal carotid bifurcation cases became hemiplegic following occlusion of the middle cerebral artery at is origin. The complication rate among nine internal carotid cases was 22%. No difficulties were experienced regarding haemodynamic stability or cardiac rhythm while using pentobarbitone at normothermia or at 28 degrees C. It is suggested that cerebral aneurysms involving the middle cerebral artery which appear to be most at risk may have the most to gain by the prophylactic use of pentobarbitone during surgery.