Association of acute onset hypertension and tachycardia following intracisternal papaverine administration during intracranial aneurysm surgery: a case report and review of the literature.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage is associated with a number of cerebral insults as a result of cerebral vasospasm. Various pharmacological and non-pharmacological techniques are used for relief of cerebral vasospasm. Papaverine, either intraarterially or intracisternally, is advocated for management of vasospasm; however, its use is associated with a number of complications. The case of a patient with an anterior communicating artery aneurysm, who received intracisternal papaverine by instillation after aneurysm clipping, is reported. It was associated with hypertension and tachycardia that was not responsive to usual treatment.