Hemodynamic evaluation with dynamic DSA during the treatment of cerebral vasospasm: a retrospective study

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and super-selective intra-arterial infusion of papaverine have recently been performed for the treatment of cerebral arterial vasospasm, with generally favorable results in patients with delayed symptomatic cerebral vasospasm.

We used dynamic digital subtraction angiography (dynamic DSA) to measure local transit time before and after endovascular treatment (EVT) for the treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysm and delayed symptomatic cerebral vasospasm. Mean transit time (MTT) was measured by dynamic DSA in 19 patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysm and delayed symptomatic cerebral vasospasm and 6 patients without symptomatic cerebral vasospasm (group III) just after surgery, immediately prior to EVT, just after EVT, and in the chronic stage of disease more than 1 month after onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage. EVT included PTA using a silicone nondetachable balloon and/or superselective infusion of 0.2% papaverine.

Symptomatic vasospasm occurred between days 7 and 11 after onset of subarachnoid hemorrhage. The MTT just after the onset of neurologic deterioration in these 10 patients with complete neurologic recovery during the chronic stage of disease (group I) and the other 9 patients without complete recovery (group II) were respectively 6.92 +/- 0.42 seconds and 7.66 +/- 0.78 seconds. The latter value was significantly larger than the former (p < 0.02). MTT just after EVT in group II were also significantly greater than the corresponding MTT in group I (p < 0.002). In addition, immediately prior to EVT the MTT in group I and group II was significantly longer than that in group III (p < 0.0001).

Functional analysis with dynamic DSA can be used to detect hemodynamic disturbances, and can be used for hemodynamic evaluation during the treatment of symptomatic cerebral vasospasm.