[Interventional neuroradiology. Drug treatment, monitoring and function tests].

Overview

Specialized monitoring as well as function tests and drug therapy play an ever growing role in neuroradiological procedures. The particular route of administration and the territories involved in neuroradiology require special precautions. Anaesthesia must enable the operators to monitor the central nervous system since the patients must remain totally immobilized for several hours. Catheterization is made safe by careful asepsia and antibiotic prophylaxis and by preventing embolic events, particularly in neuro-cervico-facial interventions where an anticoagulant protocol is important. Arterial spasms can be prevented or cured with calcium inhibitors. The safety of the procedure itself is guaranteed by various function tests including sensitivity to ischaemia using anaesthetic barbiturates, controlled clampings or the lidocaine test. Undesirable effects of both emboli (e.g. toxicity of cyanoacrylate glue) and embolization (e.g. subsequent venous thrombosis) can be prevented by adapted anti-inflammatory drugs. Herein, we describe the routine monitoring conditions, drugs prescribed and function tests performed at the Therapeutic Angiography Department of the Lariboisière Hospital, Paris.