Sodium nitroprusside, pregnancy and multiple intracranial aneurysms

Pregnancy should not greatly alter the anaesthetic management of a patient with intracranial aneurysms. Controlled hypotension is the method of choice for meeting surgical requirements. Primary attention to the mother with judicious use of sodium nitroprusside is unlikely to compromise the foetus. Sodium nitroprusside is not teratogenic in animal experiments. At present, the biochemical consequences for the foetus of prolonged nitrous oxide anaesthesia are not clear. Present data would support folinic acid administration.