Purpose: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of PTA and/ or intra-arterial infusion of papaverine (PPV) for the treatment of symptomatic vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Materials and methods: From September 1989 to March 1996, twenty patients with symptomatic vasospasm were treated by PTA and/or intra-arterial infusion of PPV. Nine of the patients were treated by only PTA, eight by only PPV infusion, and three by both PTA and PPV infusion. Early clinical results were evaluated within 48 hours after treatment. Changes in the mean flow velocity (MFV) of the M1 segment as determined by TCD before and after treatment were also evaluated.
Results: Six of the nine patients (66.7%) treated only by PTA, six of the eight patients (75%) treated only by PPV, and all three patients (100%) treated by both PTA and PPV infusion showed improvement of neurological deficits within 48 hours after treatments.
Conclusion: PTA was effective for main trunk vasospasm, while PPV infusion was more effective for peripheral severe vasospasm in recovery from neurological deterioration after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Use of both treatments further increased the effectiveness.