CEREBRAL ANEURYSM - WatsonsHealth

CEREBRAL ANEURYSM

Overview & Facts

A cerebral aneurysm is a lump or expanding part of a blood vessel in the cerebrum of the brain. It resembles a berry on a stem.

A cerebral aneurysm can rupture, causing seeping of blood into the brain, a condition that is also known as hemorrhagic stroke. Usually, a ruptured aneurysm is located in the space between the brain and the thin tissues that are covering it. This kind of hemorrhagic stroke is known as a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

A ruptured aneurysm rapidly progresses toward becoming more dangerous and requires immediate medical treatment. Most cerebral aneurysms, however, do not rupture, nor create medical issues or cause symptoms. Such aneurysms are frequently diagnosed with the help of tests.

Types & Symptoms

The types of cerebral aneurysm include the following:

  • Saccular, or berry aneurysm, which is the most common
  • Dissecting, also known as fusiform
  • Mycotic or infectious
  • Pseudo-aneurysm or false aneurysm
  • Blister aneurysms

A ruptured cerebral aneurysm can present with the following signs and symptoms:

  • Sudden, severe headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Stiff neck
  • Blurred or double vision
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Seizure
  • Drooping eyelids
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Confusion

A leaking or spilling cerebral aneurysm (sentinel bleed) may bring about sudden, extremely severe headache.

An unruptured aneurysm may bring about the following signs and symptoms:

  • Pain above and behind one eye
  • A dilated pupil
  • Change in vision or double vision
  • Numbness of one side of the face

Diagnosis & Medications

DIAGNOSIS

The doctor will do a medical interview, then a physical exam. If you have signs and symptoms of cerebral aneurysm, several tests may be requested, which may include the following:

  • Computerized tomography (CT)
  • Cerebrospinal fluid test
  • Magnetic resonance imaging
  • Cerebral angiogram

 

TREATMENT

There are two usual treatment alternatives for a  ruptured cerebral aneurysm.

  • Surgical clipping to stop blood flow
  • Endovascular coiling is a less invasive strategy that involves embedding an empty plastic tube (catheter) into an artery in the groin up to the aneurysm. Flow diverters are tubular and stent-like implants that redirect blood flow far from an aneurysm sac.

Other treatments include the following:

  • Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen
  • Calcium channel blockers such as nimodipine
  • Anti-seizure medications
  • Ventricular or lumbar draining catheters and shunt surgery
  • Rehabilitative therapy

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