What Is Brain Aneurysm

A brain aneurysm is the blood vessel in the brain, usually arises due to defect in the vessel at birth or high blood pressure. It’s a weak area in the wall that supplies blood to the brain. Brain aneurysm often looks like a berry hanging on a stem. Brain Aneurysm causes bleeding in the brain. Brain aneurysms are life-threatening and quickly wants medical treatment.

Brain Aneurysm is also called a cerebral aneurysm or Intracranial Aneurysm (IA). In order to understand the actual meaning of aneurysm, we have to understand the circulatory system of the brain. By using two major vessels internal carotid arteries and vertebral arteries the heart sends oxygen and blood to the brain and face.

There are two types of aneurysms. One is called saccular cerebral aneurysm and the other is called fusiform aneurysm.

Saccular cerebral aneurysm is also known as berry aneurysm because of its shape. A saccular cerebral aneurysm is the most common form of subarachnoid hemorrhage. The saccular cerebral aneurysm has a stem and a neck

The second one is fusiform aneurysm and it does not have a stem.

Here are some of the risk factors that are contributing to the brain aneurysm.

• High blood pressure
• Infection
• Tumours
• Family history of a brain aneurysm
• Fibromuscular dysplasia

As we all know that there are three types of a brain aneurysm.

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm is mostly seen in men who are above the age of 60. Aorta sends the blood vessel to the different parts of the body like legs, abdomen, pelvis. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm is seen when the area of the aorta becomes very large.
• Cerebral Aneurysm is where the blood vessels start widening within the brain. The word aneurysm has derived from the Greek word “Aneurysma” means ‘widening’. Cerebral Aneurysm is mainly affected due to high blood pressure or headache.
• Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm occurs in the largest artery that passes through the chest. People with high cholesterol and high blood pressure and who smoke are generally suffering from thoracic aortic aneurysm.

If you are suffering from any kind of symptoms related to brain aneurysm you have to go for some of the tests in order to know which kind of brain aneurysm is. Some of the diagnostic tests which are suggested by our doctors are

• Computerized Tomography is also known as CT Scan. If you are having bleeding in the brain. This test is mainly done to know the blood flow in the brain.
• Cerebrospinal fluid test: If the CT Scan has not shown any evidence of bleeding but you are suffering from the symptoms of aneurysm then the doctor may suggest a cerebrospinal fluid test.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging: In order to create detail images of the brain either 2-D or 3-D Magnetic Resonance Imaging uses magnetic fields and radio waves.
• Cerebral Angiogram is also known as Cerebral Arteriogram. During this process, the doctors used to insert a thin, flexible tube into a larger artery.

Mostly there are only two treatment options available for patients who are suffering from a brain aneurysm. One is open surgical clipping and the other is endovascular coiling. Clipping is a surgery performed to treat an aneurysm. The aneurysm becomes thin as it grows. Surgery is performed by neurosurgeons. During this surgery, the patients should spend 2-3 nights in the hospital and even after the surgery they have to take minimum 1-2 months rest.

In order to block blood from an aneurysm endovascular coiling is performed. Since 1991 it has been used by the patients. During endovascular coiling, the surgeon sends a wire into the aneurysm through the catheter.

Here are some of the symptoms which would make us to feel like that we are having brain aneurysm:

• Sudden or Severe Headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Vomiting
• Stiff Neck
• Difficulty in Speaking

Most patients who are suffering from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage die before reaching the hospital.

Yes, Patients of aneurysm have been monitored in an intensive care unit. The time duration of the patient is dependent on whether the patient is suffering from subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Yes, ruptured aneurysm always needs treatment.

If you are having the habit of smoking, Polycystic kidney disease, fibromuscular dysplasia, or any other type of elastic tissue disorder then it is easy to develop another aneurysm

The time duration may change from patient to patient and it also depends on the size of the disease.

Brain aneurysms can be ruptured and unruptured. Unruptured aneurysms are smaller in size; unruptured aneurysms are less than one-half inch in diameter. Irrespective of the age the symptoms of the brain aneurysm can occur and should be evaluated by the physician. Ruptured Brain Aneurysm can occur at subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), Here are some of the symptoms of both ruptured and unruptured brain aneurysm like:

• Headache
• Speaking in difficulty
• Vomiting
• Seizure
• Sudden weakness and numbness