Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome: Treatment with Multiple Sessions of Intra-Arterial Nimodipine and Angioplasty

Abstract

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is characterized by acute severe headache with or without additional neurological symptoms and reversible cerebral vasoconstriction. Unruptured aneurysms have been reported in some cases with RCVS. We describe a severe case of a 50-year-old woman with RCVS presenting as cortical subarachnoid hemorrhage. Cerebral angiogram demonstrated the typical angiographic findings of RCVS and two very small unruptured aneurysms of the left internal carotid artery. The patient was treated with calcium channel blockers and the two aneurysms were successfully treated endovascularly. On day 16 the patient developed new focal neurological symptoms (severe paraparesis) and was successfully treated with intraarterial nimodipine and angioplasty in multiple sessions.