The famous cerebral or intracranial aneurysm forms within the walls of an artery in the brain due to a weakness in the blood vessels.
Basically, it occurs when the weak area of an artery becomes even thinner and bulges out like a little balloon.
Serious things can happen as time goes by and the bulging artery becomes thinner as the aneurysm ruptures causing bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). This could compromise oxygenation and blood supply, being a real threat to the patient’s life.
How is this condition detected?
They are usually detected when they rupture – by symptoms – and by performing brain imaging such as an MRI.
Now, ideally, if you think you are suffering from a brain aneurysm, see a neurosurgeon with experience in diagnosing and treating this disease right away.
What are the causes of a cerebral aneurism?
As I explained before, aneurysms in the brain occur when there is a weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel, almost always in the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover it.
This situation can be congenital (be present from the moment of birth because it developed in the mother’s womb) or be created later in life.
Now, what kind of people are most likely to win this unfortunate lottery?
Those who have a family history.
- Those who have had brain aneurysms before.
- Those who suffer from Polycystic Kidney Disease.
- Women are more likely.
- Those with Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD).
- Those with Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM).
- Those who suffer from high blood pressure.
- The smokers.
- Those who consume alcohol in excess.
It is also important to pay more attention to those who have atherosclerosis or have had infections that have damaged the vascular wall.
Symptoms?
It is important to understand that most brain aneurysms are asymptomatic, and are only recognized when they rupture causing severe headache, nausea, vision problems and even a droopy eyelid.
Having an aneurysm can also cause fainting, seizures, or mental confusion.
And those aneurysms that have not ruptured but are not asymptomatic can cause vision disturbances, pain around the eyes or numbness in the face.
Given this condition, there are different treatments that can be performed, such as surgical clipping and endovascular embolization.
If a cerebral aneurism bleeds, are there any consequences?
Yes, there are usually neurological sequelae such as:
- Motor difficulties (lack of muscle strength and inability to walk)
- Sensory problems (inability to detect tastes and smells and even partial blindness)
- Cognitive problems (speech or memory difficulties).
And the three possibly most serious consequences are:
- A vasospasm (narrowing) in the adjacent area that aggravates the damage that has occurred in the brain.
- Hydrocephalus by interrupting the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid by increasing intracranial pressure.
- A severe imbalance in blood sodium, permanently damaging brain cells.
If you have questions about this topic, contact me. I will be glad to serve you.
