Review Article - Cerebral vasospasm: Aetiopathogenesis and intensive care management

Cerebral vasospasm is the prolonged, intense constriction of the larger conducting arteries in the subarachnoid space which are initially surrounded by subarachnoid clot. Significant narrowing develops gradually over the first few days after the aneurysmal rupture. The spasm usually is maximal in about a week′s time following haemorrhage. Vasospasm is the one of the leading causes of death after the aneurysmal rupture along with the effect of the initial haemorrhage and latter rebleeding. The purpose of this article is to outline the importance in early diagnosis and aggressive treatment of this otherwise challenging clinical entity.