Subarachnoid haemorrhage.

A high percentage of the population has aneurysms of the cerebral vessels, which are detected only by chance or after spontaneous rupture. Subarachnoid haemorrhage is still a problem because of high morbidity and mortality. Many patients do not fully recover neurologically and suffer from physical and psychosocial symptoms. The aims of treatment are to prevent the patient from rebleeding and to prevent secondary neurological damage. Whereas in former times, clipping of the aneurysm was often delayed for days or weeks, early operative intervention is the rule today, if the patient is not moribund and if there is no significant cerebral oedema. The anaesthetist can support the neurosurgeon with a spectrum of different methods of anaesthesia and monitoring, individually tailored to the needs of the patient. Most important, however, is a stable haemodynamic status, stable and normal intracranial pressure and a sufficient cerebral perfusion pressure. Vasospasm is still the main problem, as is early rebleeding. To treat this, nimodipine is the drug of choice combined with volume therapy, a slightly elevated cardiac output and a modestly elevated blood pressure.