Preoperative arteriographic spasm and outcome from aneurysm operation.

The timing of intracranial operation for the treatment of ruptured cerebral aneurysm remains controversial. To find objective parameters to guide us, we performed angiography 24 to 72 hours before contemplated operation in 35 Grade I patients in whom subarachnoid hemorrhage had occurred at least 1 week earlier. Operation in the presence of angiographic vasospasm in Grade I patients over 1 week after SAH was associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates. Only 1 of 28 patients in whom spasm was absent or mild at the time of operation had an unsatisfactory outcome from operation (P less than 0.003). There was no correlation between clinical grade and significant spasm; 17 patients who were clinically Grade I over 1 week after SAH had moderate or severe angiographic spasm. These data suggest that all patients should undergo angiography just before contemplated operation and that operation should be postponed if vasospasm is present.