Symptomatic Vasospasm and Chronic Hydrocephalus in Elderly Patients after Intracranial Aneurysm Rupture-Comparison with Younger Ones / 대한뇌혈관학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the incidence of shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus and symptomatic vasospasm in elderly patients following intracranial aneurysm rupture with those of younger patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 189 patients who were treated with open surgery between May 1994 and December 2000. They were divided into two groups; elderly (> or =60 yrs) and younger (< or =59 yrs) group. Incidence of shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus and symptomatic vasospasm was analysed in each group during 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: Shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus has developed more frequently in the elderly group (27.8%) than in the younger group (7.3%). Incidence of symptomatic vasospasm was not significantly different between two groups, even though poor grade patients were more represented in the elderly group. CONCLUSION: Meticulous clinical long-term follow-up is needed to detect shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus as early as possble in the elderly patients with operated ruptured intracranial aneurysms and in that case, shunt operation should be undertaken.