Does cerebrospinal fluid from patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage and vasospasm enhance endothelin contraction in rat cerebral arteries?
Our experimental findings showed that in intact rat basilar arteries exposed to cerebrospinal fluid from patients with vasospasm endothelin contraction was enhanced in an endothelium-dependent manner and was blocked by combined ETA and ETB receptor antagonism. Therefore we suggest that combined blockade of both receptors may play a role in counteracting vasospasm in patients with SAH.
The analysis of the data collected made it possible to identify preoperatively a subset of patients undergoing sutureless AVR at higher risk of postoperative atrioventricular block. Additional surgical precautions should be implemented to prevent the occurrence of conduction disorders after sutureless AVR.