Intra-arterial Dantrolene for Refractory Cerebral Vasospasm After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Background

Intravenous dantrolene has been used to prevent and treat cerebral vasospasm. We report a case of refractory cerebral vasospasm treated with intra-arterial dantrolene after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Methods

A 56-year-old woman suffered a diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm which was successfully treated with coil embolization. She subsequently developed bilateral severe angiographic vasospasm which was treated with intra-arterial vasodilators. However, owing to the recurrence of vasospasm, intra-arterial dantrolene followed by balloon angioplasty was used.

Results

There was moderate improvement of the severe vasospasm in bilateral A1 segments of the anterior cerebral arteries after microcatheter-based intra-arterial infusion of 30?ml (1?mg/ml) dantrolene. Patient??s hemodynamic parameters were monitored during and after the procedure and no significant changes were seen after dantrolene infusion. A follow up cerebral angiogram after 1?day demonstrated the persistence of therapeutic effect.

Conclusion

Intra-arterial dantrolene induced a sustained improvement in cerebral vasospasm secondary to ruptured aneurysm. No significant side effects were observed during or after the infusion of the drug.