A brain aneurysm is a permanent dilation in one of the blood vessels that carry blood to the brain; when this happens, the enlarged part usually has a thinner wall and therefore there is a high risk of rupture of the aneurysm.The aneurysm ruptures, always causing more or less severe bleeding depending on the size and amount of blood that leaks into the skull.
The most common symptom of a brain aneurysm occurs when it ruptures, which is characterized by an extremely severe headache that can suddenly appear or increase over time.The feeling that the head is hot and that there is a “leak” and that it seems that bloodshed also occurs in some people.
- Although genetic factors are involved in the causes of an aneurysm.
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure greatly increases the risk of developing an aneurysm in the brain.
Brain aneurysm can be cured, depending on where you are.But in general, your doctor prefers to recommend treatment that helps regulate blood pressure, for example, by reducing the risks of rupture.Surgery, on the other hand, is most commonly used for broken aneurysms, but may be indicated to treat specific aneurysms, depending on their location and size, and to prevent rupture.The latter can be performed by an endovascular procedure such as catheterization, where a stent is placed that protects the vessel, diverting blood flow from the site of the aneurysm, thus protecting the vessel from rupture.
The aneurysm usually doesn’t cause any symptoms and is accidentally identified during a head diagnostic exam, such as a CT scan.However, some people with aneurysms may experience signs such as constant pain behind the eye, dilated pupils, double vision, or tingling in the face.
Most commonly, symptoms only appear when the aneurysm ruptures or filters, in these cases the symptoms are:
When these symptoms appear and whenever a broken aneurysm is suspected, it is very important to call a doctor immediately, by calling 192, or taking the person immediately to the hospital, to initiate appropriate treatment.
There are also other problems that can cause similar symptoms, such as migraine, not necessarily an aneurysm, so if the headache is severe and appears very frequently, it is advisable to consult a GP or neurologist to identify the correct cause and initiate the most appropriate treatment. .
Generally, to confirm the presence of a brain aneurysm, a doctor should order diagnostic tests to evaluate brain structures and determine if there is dilation of blood vessels.Some of the most commonly used tests include CT, MRI or brain angiography, for example.
The exact causes that lead to the development of an aneurysm in the brain are not yet known, however, some factors seem to increase the risk include:
In addition, certain diseases present at birth may also increase your tendency to have an aneurysm, such as ovarian polycystosis, narrowing of the aorta, or brain malformation.
Treatment of aneurysm is quite variable and may depend not only on the patient’s history, but also on the size of the aneurysm and its flight or not, so the most commonly used treatments include:
Most of the time, doctors choose not to treat unbroken aneurysms because the risk of rupture during surgery is very high, so it is normal to perform a periodic evaluation of the size of the dilation to make sure the aneurysm does not increase in size..
In addition, remedies can also be prescribed to alleviate some of the symptoms, such as paracetamol, dipyrone, ibuprofen, to reduce headaches or levetiracetam, to control the onset of seizures, for example.
However, in some cases, the neurologist may choose to perform endovascular surgery with the installation of a stent, to prevent its breakage, but since it is a very delicate procedure, due to the risk of rupture during the procedure, it should be very well evaluated.and the risks should be well explained to the patient and his family.
When the aneurysm ruptures, it is a medical emergency and therefore should be seen immediately to the hospital to initiate appropriate treatment, which is usually done by surgery to close the hemorrhagic vessel inside the brain.risk of developing sequelae for life, because the smaller the affected area of the brain.
When the aneurysm ruptures, it causes symptoms similar to those of a hemorrhagic stroke.See the signs to keep in mind.
A brain aneurysm can cause bleeding between the brain and the meninges that line it, in which case bleeding is called a subarachnoid, or it can cause bleeding called intracerebral, which is bleeding that occurs in the middle of the brain.
After an aneurysm, the person may not have sequelae, but some may have neurological changes similar to those of a stroke, such as difficulty lifting an arm due to lack of strength, difficulty speaking, or slow reflection.People who have already had an aneurysm have an increased risk of experiencing a new event.
See other possible sequelae that can occur during a change in the brain.