Is cerebral vasospasm serious?

The importance of physical health cannot be overstated. Without health, everything else is redundant. The brain is arguably the most important part of the human body. If there is a problem with the cerebral blood vessels, our physical health can easily be seriously damaged. The same is true for cerebral vasospasm. Patients may experience adverse consequences such as hemiplegia. It can be said that cerebral vasospasm is relatively serious. Patients should pay enough attention and actively seek treatment to control the progression of the disease as much as possible and avoid greater damage and impact due to cerebral vasospasm.

Cerebral vasospasm refers to a persistent constriction of the intracranial arteries. If the blood vessels are found to be in a spasm state only during angiography and the patient has no corresponding symptoms of neurological deficits, it is called asymptomatic vasospasm; if the patient has symptoms of neurological deficits, it is called symptomatic vasospasm, also known as delayed ischemic neurological dysfunction. Cerebral vasospasm is one of the most common complications of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Causes

Rupture of intracranial aneurysm often leads to subarachnoid hemorrhage. The blood and its degradation products flowing into the subarachnoid space are the main causes of cerebral vasospasm. Craniocerebral injury, craniocerebral surgery, intravascular interventional treatment, tuberculous and purulent meningitis, migraine, hypertensive encephalopathy, etc. can also induce cerebral vasospasm.

Clinical manifestations

Cerebral vasospasm itself has no typical specific clinical manifestations. Generally, 3 to 5 days after subarachnoid hemorrhage, if there is a deterioration in consciousness, even accompanied by new focal localization signs, such as hemiplegia, hemisensory disturbance, aphasia, and manifestations of increased intracranial pressure, such as headache and vomiting, the possibility of cerebral vasospasm should be highly suspected after clinical exclusion of electrolyte disorders and CT examination excludes secondary hydrocephalus and intracranial hematoma. Unexplained fever and increased white blood cell count may also lead to the possibility of cerebral vasospasm.