Pharmacological protection of the brain during surgery in patients with giant cerebral aneurysms

: The authors discuss the results of pharmacological protection of the brain, consisting in intraarterial or intravenous infusion of drugs (sodium thiopental, nimodipine, ketamine) during intracranial interventions in 13 patients with giant arterial aneurysms of the anterior portions of Willis' circle. In some patients drug protection of the brain prevented the development of ischemic focus in the basin of temporarily occluded vessel. Intraarterial infusion of protector drugs is preferable because it allows decreasing the doses and severity of untoward hemodynamic effects.