BACKGROUND: A pretruncal subarachnoid hemorrhage has been accepted as a "benign" entity. Here we present two patients with delayed cerebral infarction following pretruncal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: Two patients with possible delayed cerebral infarction after pretruncal subarachnoid hemorrhage were identified. Both patients developed basilar artery vasospasm within 2 weeks of their bleeding events. Although they remained clinically asymptomatic, the location and the timing of infarction implicated the observed focal arterial vasospasm. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should bear in mind the possibility of arterial vasospasm and ensuing cerebral infarction in patients with pretruncal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
BACKGROUND: A pretruncal subarachnoid hemorrhage has been accepted as a "benign" entity. Here we present two patients with delayed cerebral infarction following pretruncal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: Two patients with possible delayed cerebral infarction after pretruncal subarachnoid hemorrhage were identified. Both patients developed basilar artery vasospasm within 2 weeks of their bleeding events. Although they remained clinically asymptomatic, the location and the timing of infarction implicated the observed focal arterial vasospasm. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should bear in mind the possibility of arterial vasospasm and ensuing cerebral infarction in patients with pretruncal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Authors: Ferdinand K Hui; Luis M Tumialán; Tomoko Tanaka; C Michael Cawley; Y Jonathan Zhang Journal: Neurocrit Care Date: 2009-03-10 Impact factor: 3.210