Unruptured aneurysms and postoperative volume expansion

After a ruptured aneurysm has been clipped in patients with multiple aneurysms, the question often arises whether to use volume expansion and/or hypertensive treatment to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia (vasospasm). There is understandable concern regarding the possible rupture of unprotected aneurysms under additional hemodynamic stress. In a series of 199 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage who underwent early surgery, 31 were left with one or more unprotected aneurysms postoperatively. All patients were treated with prophylactic volume expansion based on a previously reported protocol. Mean central venous pressure during treatment was 10.3 cm H₂O and mean arterial blood pressure 141/76 mm Hg; volume expansion was continued for 7 to 10 days. Eight patients developed symptoms of delayed cerebral ischemia and required additional volume expansion and induced hypertension. After institution of hypertension, four of these patients experienced a reversal of their symptoms, while four others developed cerebral infarcts. One patient died from massive cerebral infarction following vasospasm refractory to all measures. No patient suffered rupture of an unprotected aneurysm during hypervolemic treatment. It is concluded that the benefit of prophylactic hypervolemic hypertension in postoperative aneurysm patients warrants its use even in patients with unprotected aneurysms.