Cerebral infarction due to post-traumatic cerebral vasospasm is rare. Although some modalities are recommended to detect post-traumatic cerebral vasospasm, its diagnosis remains controversial and challenging. Therefore, in this report, we will use a case report to highlight challenges and to delineate the characteristics of post-traumatic cerebral vasospasm in pediatric patients, including the diagnostic and treatment options. A 12-year-old female was admitted to our hospital following a motor vehicle collision. Her consciousness was severely impaired. Initial computed tomography (CT) revealed an acute subdural hematoma along the tentorium, and a focal subarachnoid hemorrhage was observed in the Sylvian fissure. The patient underwent the insertion of an intracranial pressure sensor and received therapy for increased intracranial pressure (ICP) control under sedation. On the second day, CT angiography (CTA) revealed no signs of arterial abnormality. A patient who is comatose or under sedation has masked neurological symptoms. Thus, new neurological events could only be detected via an intracranial pressure sensor. Her ICP increased on the seventh day, and a CT scan showed a new cerebral infarction in the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) region. We performed decompressive craniectomy to reduce ICP. Postoperative CTA confirmed severe vasospasm in the right MCA. The severe cerebral vasospasm induced the cerebral infarction. Our review suggests that physicians in trauma departments should frequently perform vascular evaluations by CTA, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), transcranial Doppler ultrasound, or digital subtraction angiography (DSA), especially within two weeks from onset, to detect post-traumatic cerebral vasospasm.
Keywords: cerebral infarction; cerebral vasospasm; diffuse axonal injury; head trauma; ischemic stroke; pediatrics; post-traumatic cerebral vasospasm; traumatic brain injury.
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