What causes a cerebral aneurysm? How are cerebral aneurysms diagnosed? What are the complications of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm? How are cerebral aneurysms treated? What is the prognosis? What research is being done? Where can I get more information? A cerebral aneurysm also known as a brain aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on an artery in the brain that balloons or bulges out and fills with blood.
The bulging aneurysm can put pressure on the nerves or brain tissue. It may also burst or rupture, spilling blood into the surrounding tissue called a hemorrhage. A ruptured aneurysm can cause serious health problems such as hemorrhagic stroke, brain damage, coma, and even death.
Some cerebral aneurysms, particularly those that are very small, do not bleed or cause other problems. These types of aneurysms are usually detected during imaging tests for other medical conditions.
Cerebral aneurysms can occur anywhere in the brain, but most form in the major arteries along the base of the skull. Brain aneurysms can occur in anyone and at any age.
They are most common in adults between the ages of 30 and 60 and are more common in women than in men. People with certain inherited disorders are also at higher risk.
All cerebral aneurysms have the potential to rupture and cause bleeding within the brain or surrounding area. Approximately 30, Americans per year suffer a brain aneurysm rupture. There are no proven statistics but a consensus of scientific papers indicate that between 3 and 5 percent of Americans may have an aneurysm in their lifetime. Unruptured aneurysm Most cerebral aneurysms do not show symptoms until they either become very large or rupture.
Small unchanging aneurysms generally will not produce symptoms. Ruptured aneurysm When an aneurysm ruptures bursts , one always experiences a sudden and extremely severe headache e. Fibromuscular dysplasia. This is an artery disease that most often affects the medium and large arteries of young to middle-aged women.
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. This is a disorder of the blood vessels. The blood vessels lack capillaries between an artery and vein. Klinefelter syndrome. This is a condition in men in which they have an extra X chromosome. Noonan's syndrome. This is a disorder that causes abnormal development of many parts and systems of the body. Polycystic kidney disease PCKD. This is a disorder that causes many fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys.
PCKD is the most common disease linked to berry aneurysms. Neurocutaneous syndromes. These include neurofibromatosis or tuberous sclerosis. This is a type of neurocutaneous syndrome that can cause tumors to grow inside the brain, spinal cord, organs, skin, and bones. These risk factors increase a person's risk.
But they don't necessarily cause the disease. Some people with 1 or more risk factors never develop the disease, while others develop the disease and have no known risk factors. Knowing your risk factors to any disease can help to guide you to change behaviors and be checked for the disease. You may not know you have a cerebral aneurysm until it tears ruptures. Most cerebral aneurysms have no symptoms and are small in size. Smaller aneurysms may have a lower risk for rupture.
In some cases, symptoms may happen before a rupture. They may occur because of blood that leaks. This is called a sentinel hemorrhage around the brain. Some aneurysms also cause symptoms because they press on nearby structures.
These can include nerves to the eye. They can cause vision loss or make it harder to move your eye even if the aneurysm has not ruptured. The first sign of a bleeding cerebral aneurysm is most often bleeding around the brain. This is called a subarachnoid hemorrhage SAH. This may cause symptoms such as:. The symptoms of a cerebral aneurysm may be like those of other health problems. It is important to seek immediate medical treatment for a diagnosis.
A cerebral aneurysm is often found after it has ruptured. It may be found by chance during an imaging test for other reasons. Your healthcare provider will ask about your health history and do a physical exam.
You may also need tests such as:. Cerebral angiography. This test makes an image of the blood vessels in the brain. It can find a problem with vessels and blood flow. The procedure is done by putting a thin tube catheter into an artery in the leg. Living With. Related Issues. Should a Pseudoaneurysm Always be Treated?
Craniotomy - slideshow Medical Encyclopedia Also in Spanish. Videos and Tutorials. Cerebral aneurysm Medical Encyclopedia Also in Spanish. Statistics and Research. If your risk of a rupture is low, you'll have regular check-ups to monitor your aneurysm. You may also be given medicine to reduce your blood pressure and advice about ways you can reduce your chances of a rupture, such as stopping smoking if you smoke. The same techniques used to prevent ruptures are also used to treat brain aneurysms that have already ruptured.
Exactly what causes the wall of affected blood vessels to weaken is still unclear, although risk factors have been identified. In some cases, an aneurysm may develop because there was a weakness in the walls of the blood vessels at birth.
It's difficult to estimate exactly how many people are affected by brain aneurysms because they usually cause no symptoms and pass undetected. Some experts believe it could be as high as 1 in 20 people, while others think the figure is much lower at around 1 in people. The number of aneurysms that actually rupture is much smaller. Only around 1 in 12, people have a ruptured brain aneurysm in England each year.
Brain aneurysms can develop in anyone at any age, but are more common in people over the age of
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