Brain Aneurysm
A brain aneurysm can be referred to as the ballooning of blood vessel in the brain. It is like a bulge in the weak part on the walls of blood vessels caused by the constant pressure of the push created by the blood flow, thus creating a blister bump. This aneurysm can get stretched even further by rush of blood causing it to leak or rupture. This may cause a person to suffer from a hemorrhagic shock or brain bleed or even a fatal brain damage.
How common are the brain aneurysms and who suffers from them?
The annual incidence of cerebral or brain aneurysms is between 6 to 16 per 10,000 in India. Most of them have an unruptured aneurysm. Ruptured ones are rare. A person is likely to develop a cerebral aneurysm if he or she:
- Is a female
- Is between 40 to 60 years of age
- Has a family history of brain aneurysms.
- Suffers from a rare blood disorder such as fibromuscular dysplasia, cerebral arteritis or arterial dissection
- Suffers from genetic disorder affecting the connective tissues such as Marfan syndrome, Ehlers Danlos syndrome or Loeys Dietz syndrome.
- Has polycystic kidney disease
- Has the brain aneurysm as a part of birth defects
What are the causes of brain aneurysms?
Though there are no clear reasons regarding why the brain aneurysms are formed, there are several factors that were found to weaken and irritate the blood vessels of the brain. These are as follows:
- Blood infection
- Smoking
- Usage of Amphetamines and cocaine
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Traumatic brain injuries caused by car crashes
- Conditions like atherosclerosis caused by the buildup of fats on the blood vessels
Though brain aneurysms can be found in people as young as 30, They are more likely to occur after the age of 40.
What are the symptoms of brain aneurysms?
One of the most common sign of an intact brain aneurysm is constant headache. Other common symptoms of this condition are:
- Changes in vision
- Difficulty in Eyeball movement
- Dilated or enlarged pupil
- Tingling or Numbness on face or head
- Recurrent seizures
- Pain behind the eyes
- Nausea and vomiting
- Neck pain
How are Brain Aneurysms Treated?
The treatment for brain aneurysms both ruptured on unruptured are as following:
- Microvascular or open surgical clipping: In this procedure, the surgeon places a small metal clip at the aneurysm base so as to pinch it off. In addition to stopping blood from going into the aneurysm, this method helps in stopping brain bleeds and keeping an intact aneurysm from breaking open.
- Endovascular therapy: This procedure involves inserting a catheter from a blood vessel in the groin or wrist and threading it to the brain. This catheter then diverts the blood flow from the aneurysm to flow into other parts of the brain.
The best treatment option among both the methods is decided by the doctor after testing the aneurysm size, location and vascular anatomy in addition to several other details. For more details, & consultation, visit the most experienced neurologist at Accord superspeciality hospital.