Definition
An aneurysm is an outpouching of a blood vessel wall. This can occur anywhere there are blood vessels, including in the brain. The bulging, blood-filled pocket can put pressure on parts of the brain, potentially causing symptoms. In addition, the blood vessel can rupture (hemorrhage). Early detection and diagnosis may help prevent severe or fatal complications in some patients. Many aneurysms go unnoticed for a lifetime and cause no symptoms.
Causes
Aneurysms form in areas where the artery wall becomes thin or weak. Thinning artery walls and resulting aneurysms can be caused by a number of factors. Common causes include:
- Congenital (present at birth) weakness in artery wall
- High blood pressure
- Infection
- Trauma or injury to the brain
- Tumor
- Plaque build-up on artery walls
Risk Factors
These factors increase your chance of developing a brain aneurysm. These risk factors also increase your chance of a rupture. Adults are more likely to develop an aneurysm than children. Females are at slightly higher risk. Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors:
- Old age
- Genetic diseases (circulatory, connective tissue, or polycystic kidney disease)
- Family history of aneurysms
- Smoking
- Heavy alcohol use
- Drug abuse
- High blood pressure
- Tumors
- Traumatic head injury
- Arteriovenous malformations
Symptoms
If you have any of these symptoms, do not assume it is due to a brain aneurysm. These symptoms may be caused by other conditions. Tell your doctor if you have any of these:
- Pain behind the eye
- Numbness, sometimes on one side of the face or body
- Weakness on one side of the body or face
- Vision changes
- Drooping eyelid
- Differences between the size of the pupils
- Speech impairment
Most aneurysms do not cause symptoms until they leak or rupture. A leaking or ruptured aneurysm may cause:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Confusion or sleepiness
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
Diagnosis
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. Tests may include the following:
Treatment
Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Other medical conditions; lifestyle factors; as well as the type, size, and location of the aneurysm will direct treatment. For a known aneurysm that is not leaking or ruptured, treatment options include the following:
Monitoring
Your doctor may need to monitor you to see if the aneurysm gets larger or begins to leak.
Medicines
Medicines are not used to fix an aneurysm. Medicines may be used to help lower blood pressure, treat pain, or stop side effects of the aneurysm, like seizures.
Endovascular Embolization
During this procedure, a catheter is thread up to the aneurysm. Coils, a special liquid, or balloons are used to fill the aneurysm and stop circulation, causing it to clot. This may need to be done more than once.
Surgery
Surgical options include microvascular clipping or occlusion.
- Microvascular clipping—A neurosurgeon cuts off blood flow to the aneurysm.
- Microvascular occlusion—A neurosurgeon clamps off the entire artery leading to the aneurysm. Sometimes a bypass procedure (rerouting a new blood vessel) is done too.
Prevention
In many cases, there is no known way to prevent an aneurysm from forming. To help reduce your chances of getting a brain aneurysm or having it burst, take the following steps:
- Control high blood pressure
- Stop smoking
- Avoid recreational drug use
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Discuss with your doctor:
- Benefits and risks of oral contraceptives
- Whether it is safe to use daily aspirin or other pain medicines that may thin the blood