A brain aneurysm is a weakened, bulging area in the wall of an artery in your brain. Brain aneurysms are also sometimes called cerebral aneurysms or intracranial aneurysms. Brain aneurysms are a concern because they can leak or tear, causing bleeding in the brain. This can cause a hemorrhagic stroke. A torn or ruptured brain aneurysm is a life-threatening event.
Brain (Cerebral) Aneurysm and RepairA brain aneurysm is a weakened, bulging area in the wall of an artery in your brain. Brain aneurysms are also sometimes called cerebral aneurysms or intracranial aneurysms. Brain aneurysms are a concern because they can leak or tear, causing bleeding in the brain. This can cause a hemorrhagic stroke. A torn or ruptured brain aneurysm is a life-threatening event.The most common type of brain aneurysm tends to form at the points where the arteries branch. A normal artery wall is made up of three layers of tissue. Sometimes, one of the muscular layers is damaged or missing. The force of blood -- or blood pressure -- against this weak spot can cause an aneurysm to form.Most aneurysms look like a bubble or sac attached to your artery with a small stem. These are called berry aneurysms. Sometimes, more than one of these will form in the same area.Other aneurysms cause the artery to bulge out on all sides. These are called fusiform aneurysms.A dissecting aneurysm is caused by a tear in the inner layer of the artery wall. This causes blood to leak in between the layers and form a bulge on just one side of the artery wall. Dissecting aneurysms are usually caused by an injury, but they can happen naturally.SymptomsBrain aneurysms often have no symptoms. However, some brain aneurysms can cause symptoms by pressing on nearby nerves and tissue.Some of the symptoms you might get with a brain aneurysm include:Pain around the eyeVision changesDilated pupilsNumbness or weaknessSpeech difficulties, andMemory lossYou may also have a "warning" headache from an aneurysm that is leaking, but hasn't yet burst.Sudden symptoms can mean that the aneurysm has ruptured or burst and that you need medical care right away. Rupture symptoms include:Severe headacheStiff neckDifficulty understanding speechNausea and vomitingParalysis or numbnessLight sensitivitySeizures, andLoss of consciousnessIf you have symptoms of a brain aneurysm, your health care provider will give you a physical exam and recommend imaging studies, such as an angiogram, a C-T scan, or an M-R-I.TreatmentSmall aneurysms are unlikely to burst. However, your health care provider will keep an eye on them to make sure they don't grow or cause symptoms.It's important to treat large brain aneurysms, because they may rupture.There are two kinds of aneurysm repairs: surgical and endovascular. Your health care provider will make a recommendation based on your health, as well as the location, size, and shape of your aneurysm. You will need general anesthesia for both types of surgery.During surgical repair, a section of your skull is taken out so the surgeon can to get to the aneurysm.If the aneurysm is on a stem, the surgeon may do surgical clipping. In this procedure, the surgeon places a small metal clip around the stem to keep blood from flowing into the aneurysm.If the aneurysm is not on a stem, a procedure called occlusion might be used. During occlusion, your health care provider clamps the entire artery that supplies it. This keeps blood from flowing into the aneurysm. A bypass is created for blood to flow around the aneurysm.Once a surgical repair is complete, the surgeon replaces the section of your skull.If your aneurysm is hard to reach, an endovascular procedure called coiling may be used. In these types of procedures, the surgeon makes a small cut in your arm, neck, or leg. A thin hollow tube called a catheter is put into an artery and guided to the aneurysm with the help of an X-ray. The surgeon moves a wire with small metal coils through the catheter and into the aneurysm. The coils are left in place, blocking blood flow to the aneurysm.Afterward, you'll spend several days in the hospital, some of those in the intensive care unit, or ICU. You may have additional imaging tests after your surgery to make sure the repair was successful.If the repair was incomplete, you may need another procedure. Endovascular repairs require longer follow-up.Things to RememberBrain aneurysms often occur without symptoms.You may have a surgical or an endovascular repair.You may need additional tests after surgery to make sure the repair is working.What We Have LearnedThe goal of brain aneurysm repair is to prevent rupture. True or False? The answer is true. Left untreated, large aneurysms can burst and bleed into the brain.Small brain aneurysms require treatment even if they don't cause symptoms. True or False? The answer is false. Your health care provider may choose to monitor your aneurysm if it isn't causing any problems.
Online Medical Reviewer: Foster, Sara, RN, MPH
Date Last Reviewed: 07/01/2021
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