Benefits of Antifibrinolytic Therapy before Early Aneurysm Surgery

Kim, Jong Moon; Kang, Sung Don

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Antifibrinolytic treatment after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage has been shown to have no significant effect on outcome since a reduction in the rate of rebleeding was offset by an increase in the incidence of hydrocephalus and ischemic events. As the results of early aneurysm surgery and a change of strategy in the intensive medical treatment, outcome in patients with cerebral ischemia has been improved. On the other hand, rebleeding still remains as a major cause of death. A short course of tranexamic acid(TA) was tried to study its efficacy and safety in reducing the incidence of rebleeding before aneurysm surgery.
METHODS
A total of 507 patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysm operated within 3 days after the attack from 1990 to 1999 were included in this study. Group A consisted of 302 consecutive patients treated from 1990 through 1995 served as control. Two hundred-five patients in group B were treated with TA from 1996 through 1999. Both groups were evaluated for comparability of demographic and clinical variables including age, Hunt-Hess grade, Fisher grade, aneurysm location, hypertension, day of surgery, and initial hydrocephalus. The relationships of TA with rebleeding, ischemia, and chronic hydrocephalus were also studied.
RESULTS
There was no significant difference in patient demographics and clinical characteristics between group A and group B. Sixteen patients(5.3%) suffered a recurrent hemorrhage in group A and three(1.5%) in group B(p<0.05). Chronic hydrocephalus requiring a shunt was found in a significantly greater proportion in group B than in group A(p<0.05). The incidence of cerebral ischemia was not elevated in group B compared with group A.
CONCLUSION
Considering the fact that the reduction of fatal rebleeding outweighed the increased incidence of hydrocephalus, the authors believe that a short course of TA is beneficial in diminishing the risk of rebleeding prior to early surgical intervention.