Fifty-five patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysm were surgically treated in our department in 1994.
In overall postoperative results of these 55 patients, Glasgow Outcome Scales were Grade 1 in 35 cases (63.6%), Grade 2 in 5 cases (9.1%), Grade 3 in 5 cases (9.1%), Grade 4 in 2 cases (3.6%) and Grade 5 in 8 cases (14.5%).
To prevent cerebral vasospasm for these patients, we performed a prospective trial: (1) cisternal drainage (2) IIIrd ventriculostomy, (3) intracisternal injection of steroid (7 days) and (4) intravenous injection of Sodium Ozagrel and Nizofenone (14 days).
DIND was observed in 14 cases (25.5%) out of 55 patients, in which 8 cases were transient and had a good recovery to GOS Grade 1, 3 cases were left with neurological deficits and 1 case died. These results were better in 1994 than in 1992.
Two cases out of 5 that were left with neurological deficits were unusual and had delayed onset.Onset of these two cases was 15 days after subarachnoid hemorrhage and one or two days after the end of postoperative therapy for vasospasm.
We called this unusual and posttherapeutic onset of DIND “vasospasm lag.”
