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Cerebral aneurysm is an acquired intracranial vascular disease. The rupture of the aneurysm is the most common cause of intracranial hemorrhage (hemorrhagic stroke) and associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Its etiology is still undefined, but hypertension is present in all patients. The prevalence is 2,000 per 100,000 (2%) in North America and patients in age of 40-60 years old. The incidence is higher in female than in male (1.6:1).
Clinical presentation
Unruptured aneurysm is asymptomatic and the diagnosed is made due to unrelated causes. When ruptured, the patient typically presents with a sudden onset of severe headache (“worst headache in my life”), and usually does not respond to any pain treatments. Other symptoms and signs depend upon the involved brain area and the development of hydrocephalus. Hunt-Hess grading system (HHG) has been used to classify the severity (table 1). Patients in grade 0-II may have a favorable outcome after surgical clipping or coiling, while those in grade IV-V usually carry a high mortality risk or recover with severe disabling. Other abnormal findings include ST and T wave changes and arrhythmia shown on ECG (50%) and even elevated cardiac enzymes, which are likely due to increased central sympathetic output. The patients may develop hypovolemia due to fluid restriction, pharmacologic diuresis and supine position. Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disturbance and caused by the limitation of sodium replacement and inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) secretion or cerebral salt wasting (CSW).
Clinical diagnosis
Any patient suspected to have a ruptured aneurysm should undergo an urgent non-contrast head computerized tomography (CT) scan. The presence of focally increased intensity in the subarachnoid space strongly suggests the diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Other CT findings include a unilateral dilated ventricle, midline shift, and the clot accumulation in the skull base. The CT scan with positive findings is followed by an angiography of carotid and vertebral arteries to define the cause. Additionally, the angiography reveals the detailed anatomy of the aneurysm and, therefore, very helpful to the surgical clipping or coiling. (科教论文网 lw.NsEac.com编辑整理)
Clinical course
Any aneurysm of ≥1.0 cm is recommended for surgical clipping or coiling because of an increased probability of spontaneous rupture, while aneurysms of <7mm should be followed closely by periodical angiography. If ruptured, one third die immediately, the other third become severely disabled, and the remaining third with preserved neurological functions need an emergent intervention because of a high mortality associated with rebleeding (30-50%) or vasospasm (10-30%). The recent recommendations for ruptured aneurysm include early surgical clipping with removal of the clot and aggressive treatment of vasospasm, or coiling by endovascular approach. In addition, such an early intervention may decrease the cost (e.g., shorter hospital stay).
Aneurysm clipping or coiling
Surgical clipping of the aneurismal sac is the “gold standard”. The advancement in microsurgery has increased the successful rates in clipping those anatomically challenging aneurysms. The endovascular approach of aneurysm coiling has been widely accepted. Studies suggest that coiling has a comparable outcome to surgical approach. It is also an invaluable alternative for those aneurysms in difficult anatomic locations (e.g., basilar tip aneurysm) or for the patients who may not tolerate the surgery.
Anesthesia management
The goal is to maintain adequate cerebral perfusion and oxygen delivery, avoid increase transmural pressure (TMP = mean arterial pressure – intracranial pressure), readily provide brain protection, and a rapid anesthesia emergence for neurologic assessment.
Pre-operative preparation: Knowing your patients, evaluating neurologic deficits, co-morbidity, medications, reviewing angiography, and discussing with surgeon the possibility of temporary clamp. The severity, acuteness, HHS, presence of intracranial hypertension as well as timing of the procedures will determine the anesthesia management.
Monitoring: besides standard monitors, an arterial catheter is routinely placed prior to induction. The core temperature is monitored using an esophageal probe. Central line, pulmonary catheter and TEE have their special indications but not routinely employed in my institution. Depending on institutions, special neurologic monitors may be applied, e.g., electroencephalography (EEG), somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs), motor evoked potentials (MEPs), and transcranial Doppler (TCD). However, there is no data to support such monitoring could improve the outcomes. Bispectral index (BIS) is useful for interpreting raw EEG during burst suppression.
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