• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2007

Objective : The purpose of this reports is to describe the influence of continuous external ventricular drainage [EVD] on delayed ischemic neurologic deficit [DIND] after early surgery in ruptured aneurysmal patients. Methods : The authors reviewed 229 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH] who had been treated with clipping at a single institution between 1998 and 2004. Of these, 121 patients underwent continuous EVD [Group A] postoperatively, whereas 108 patients did not [Group B]. EVD was performed at ipsilateral Kocher's point and maintained 2 to 14 days postoperatively. Results : DIND occurred in 15.7% [19 cases] of patients in Group A, 25% [27 cases] from Group B [P value=0.112]. Compared with Group A, Group B was more likely to suffer acute symptom of DIND and showed poor response to 3- H therapy. Major symptoms of DIND in Group A were mild confusion [36.8%] and mild deterioration of mental state [26.3%], contrary to weakness of extremities [59.2%] in Group B. At discharge, Glasgow Outcome Scales [GOS] of Group A were : good recovery [63.2%], moderately disabled [21%], severely disabled [10.5%], dead [5.3%] and Group B : good recovery [48.1%], moderately disabled [37%], severely disabled [14.8%] and dead [0%]. Of 121 patients from group A, 35 patients [28.9%] suffered ventriculitis. Conclusion : Continuous EVD after aneurysmal clipping in patients with SAH reduced the risk of DIND and its sequelae, relieved its symptoms, and improved the outcome.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.923-928
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• 2000

Objective : The reliability of transcranial doppler sonography(TCD) for predicting delayed ischemic neurologic deficit( DIND) was investigated in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH). Methods : The velocity of blood flow through the middle cerebral artery was measured by TCD in 70 patients treated surgically within 72 hours due to ruptured cerebral aneurysm. A correlation between measured maximal mean blood flow velocities and clinical factors including age, hypertension, Hunt-Hess grade, Fisher grade, DIND, and outcome was made. Results : An age-dependent reduction of the measured maximal mean velocities was found(r＝-0.4043, p<0.001). Flow velocities in hypertensive patients were significantly lower than in the normotensive individuals(two-tailed T test, p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the flow velocities and evaluated other clinical factors. When the flow velocities of 14 patients who developed DIND were compared with those of patients without deficits, no significant difference was seen. A significant increase in flow velocities in the days before the onset of DIND was found only in 4 of 14 cases. High flow velocities did not necessarily mean impending neurological deficits : 6 of 70 patients tolerated flow velocities over 160cm/s. Conclusion : We suggest that TCD readings have limited utility for predicting DIND following SAH, especially in older or hypertensive patients. More direct measurements of blood flow are necessary to adequately predict which patients are at high risk of DIND.