Complications of Cerebral Angiography

Abstract

In 500 consecutive angiograms, a total of 36 (7.2%) patients died before leaving the hospital or had definite clinical reactions to the procedure. Of the 17 patients who died, we doubt that angiography was etiologically related to the demise in 13 instances; accordingly the corrected morbidity would be 4.6% and mortality 08%. Hemiplegia, paresthesias, or aphasia followed or became temporarily more severe in 10 cases. Convulsions occurred in 4, visual disturbances in 2, urticaria in 2, and clinically significant neck hematoma in 2. Although some of these complications are probably due to the inherent toxicity of the drug on vascular tissue, some may be preventable by care at the time of arterial puncture.