ARE CALCIUM-CHANNEL BLOCKERS REALLY USEFU L IN CEREBRAL ANEURYSMAL SURGERY

Two retrospective series of early operated cerebral arterial aneurysms are compared. One series involves 74 patients treated from 1983 to 19 87 by vascular volume expansion only. the other series involves 75 pat ients treated from 1987 to 1990 by vascular volume expansion associate d by calcium antagonists (nimodipine or nicardipine). The conclusion i s that in our experience, calcium antagonists do not improve the outco me (mortality, cognition findings and return to work) obtained by vasc ular volume expansion alone. Moreover they put forward that there is n o difference between the patients treated by nimodipine and those trea ted by nicardipine.