Hypothermic circulatory arrest in cerebral aneurysm surgery

Abstract

Hypothermia for aneurysm surgery was first used more than 40 years ago and was shortly followed by deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). Sonic giant, complex intracranial aneurysms have limited therapeutic alternatives, because the results of endovascular obliteration and indirect surgical approaches can be disappointing. In these cases, DHCA allows aneurysm surgery traditionally considered to be neither feasible nor advisable. Two cases of giant intracranial aneurysms successfully operated on with DHCA and a review of the literature on the subject are presented.