Brain Edema in the Acute Stage of Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Abstract

In recent years there has been a re-awakened interest in early operation for ruptured intracranial aneurysm. It has been suggested that early evacuation of the subarachnoid space will diminish the concentration of blood products therein, and diminish the risks of the delayed hypoperfusion syndrome known as vasospasm. It is certainly true that the early application of an aneurysm clip enables such maneuvres as induced hypervolemic hypertension to be applied without the danger of further aneurysm rupture. The development of brain edema in relation to intracranial aneurysm rupture, and indeed the pattern of intracranial pressure change is as yet incompletely understood. The present animal experiments were designed to study such pressure and flow changes in experimental primates following induced subarachnoid hemorrhage, and to observe the evolution of edema over the early hours after hemorrhage.