Cerebral arterial spasm. Part 8: The treatment of delayed cerebral arterial spasm in human beings.

Three patients who had neurological deficits from delayed cerebral arterial spasm following rupture of posterior communicating artery aneurysms were treated with continuous, simultaneous, intravenous injections of phenylephrine and nitroprusside. The results were determined by cerebral angiography before and after treatment. A dramatic increase in the cross-sectional area of the large cerebral arteries was found after treatment. The clinical implications of this treatment are discussed.