[Warning bleedings prior to subarachnoid hemorrhage from intracranial, sacculate aneurysms. A consecutive, prospective study].

The incidence of warning leaks prior to subarachnoid hemorrhage was found to be 36.4% in 99 consecutive patients admitted consecutively to a neurosurgical department suffering from subarachnoid hemorrhage from ruptured intracranial, sacculate, arterial aneurysms. The durations of delays before admission to a neurosurgical department and the reasons for these, were analyzed. The patients who experienced a warning leak were in significantly poorer clinical condition than would have been the fact if they had been admitted at the time of the warning leak. It is important to bear the possibility of subarachnoid hemorrhage in mind, when a patient who has not previously complained of headache experiences violent sudden onset of headache. A program for investigation of suspected subarachnoid hemorrhage is suggested.