Anæsthesia for Intracranial Vascular Surgery1

The surgery of intracranial vascular lesions provides special challenges for the anesthetist. The control of intracranial pressure, the prevention of cerebral ædema and the preservation of cerebral perfusion and oxygenation are leading requirements, to which are added measures to improve surgical access and to lower intravascular pressure in order to increase operability. Appropriate techniques and general provisions for meeting these requirements are discussed.