TRANSCRANIAL CEREBRAL OXIMETRY RELATED TO TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER AFTER ANEURYSMAL SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE

Noninvasive methods for detecting cerebral artery vasospasm, still a s erious complication following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage, are of vital interest. Up-to-date transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) h as proved to be sensitive in detecting vasospasm in the middle cerebra l artery, but has less accuracy for other cerebral arteries. Transcran ial cerebral oximetry (TCCO) is a new noninvasive technique which may increase the reliability for detecting cerebral ischaemia. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate a putative correlation between T CCO and TCD. We examined the two hemispheres in 14 patients with the a im of evaluating a proposed correlation between TCD and TCCO. Analysis of ail absolute values (maximum TCD mFV and minimum TCCO saturation, respectively) in all series indicate a correlation between TCCO and TC D, p < 0.01, r = -0.62. All patients with TCD mean flow velocity >120 cm/s also presented TCCO saturation <60%. Conversely, all patients wit h normal TCCO saturation (greater than or equal to 63%) presented norm al or moderately increased TCD velocities. In clinical neurosurgical p ractice it is of great interest if a true correlation between TCD and TCCO exists. The present results support the assumption that TCCO may enhance the reliability for detecting cerebral ischaemia after aneurys mal subarachnoid haemorrhage.