The prevalence and clinical importance of prolonged cerebral vasospasm (after day 21 of bleeding) in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage is unknown.~Objectives: To determine the prevalence and clinical relevance of prolonged vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage secondary to cerebral aneurysm.~A prospective and observational study was conducted. Adult patients with a diagnosis of subarcnoid hemorrhage CT scan or presence of blood in the cerebrospinal fluid were incorporated. Patients with vasospasm were followed daily with transcranial doppler. Those with technical impossibility to perform transcranial and pregnant Doppler were excluded. Day 0 was defined, the day of the last bleeding.~Evaluation: 1) It was considered in patients with prolonged vasospasm: whether or not it was associated with clinical manifestation (deterioration of the sensory or new neurological deficit) and 2) the magnitude of the vasospasm (mild, moderate or severe) was measured by transcranial doppler.
The prevalence and clinical implications of prolonged cerebral vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage are unknown.