A new therapeutic method for acute brain infarction: revascularization following the administration of mannitol and perfluorochemicals--a preliminary report.

Ten patients were treated with systemic administration of mannitol followed by blood substitute (perfluorochemicals) in the acute period of cerebral infarction in order to suppress the development of infarction and progressive deterioration. This chemotherapy was followed by reconstructive vascular surgery. There were 8 patients with cerebral infarction and 2 others in whom cerebral vascular occlusion occurred during an operation. Due to this treatment, there was no case in which the patient's condition was aggravated or in which death occurred. At examination two months later, 8 of the 10 patients had returned to productive lives. We consequently believe that this therapeutic method may prove to be an effective means of treating cerebral infarction in the acute stage. It is also thought that this method is applicable in surgical cases in which long-term vascular occlusion is required.