Cerebral vasospasm and eclampsia.

We describe a patient who experienced focal cerebral and brainstem ischemia in the setting of postpartum eclampsia. Cerebral angiography showed spasm of large- and medium-caliber arteries. This case provides rare documentation that vasospasm may account for cerebral ischemia in eclamptic women with focal signs. This observation suggests that in such patients cerebral angiography may be informative and useful.