The Basics Of Brain Aneurysm

What is a brain aneurysm?

— A brain aneurysm is a swollen bulge or “bal­looning” in the wall of a blood vessel in the brain. A small aneurysm often causes no symptoms. But if it grows, an aneurysm can press on nerves inside your brain, causing pain and other symptoms. It can also leak blood or burst, causing a sudden, severe headache.

A burst aneurysm is a very serious, life-threaten­ing emergency that needs to be treated right away. It leads to a bleeding (hemor­rhagic) stroke. A “stroke” is the term used when a part of the brain is dam­aged because of a problem with the blood vessels in the brain. The stroke that happens after a brain aneu­rysm burst is called a “sub­arachnoid hemorrhage.”

What are the symptoms of a brain aneurysm?

— Most small brain an­eurysms cause no symp­toms. You may have no signs or symptoms. Your aneurysm may grow, press on nerves, and cause symp­toms. Any of the following may mean your aneurysm is large and at risk for bursting:

A severe headache on 1 side of your head

Pain above and behind 1 or both eyes or sensitivity to light

Dilated (wide) pupil in 1 eye.

Vision changes, loss of vision in 1 eye, or double vision.

Pain, numbness, or weakness in your face, or not being able to move 1 side of your face.

Eyelid drooping or not being able to move 1 eye.

A stiff neck

Nausea and vomiting

Passing out

Are there things that make people more like­ly to have a brain aneu­rysm?

— Yes. Having a par­ent, brother, or sister who had an aneurysm makes you more like­ly to have one. Other things that can raise your chances include:

– Having high blood pressure

– Smoking cigarettes

– Drinking too much alcohol

– Using illegal drugs, such as cocaine or am­phetamines

– Taking diet pills

– Certain genetic con­ditions, such as polycys­tic kidney disease

– A connective tissue disorder such as Marfan syndrome or vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

– Endocarditis (infec­tion in the inner lining of your heart)

Avoiding these things might help lower your chance of getting an an­eurysm.

Are there tests for a brain aneurysm?

— Yes. If you have symptoms of a brain aneurysm, your doctor might do several differ­ent tests, including:

● Imaging tests – These tests include a CT scan and an MRI. Both show pictures of your brain. During these tests, you might also get an injection of a dye that makes it easier for doc­tors to see blood flow in the brain.

● Lumbar puncture (sometimes called a “spinal tap”) – During this procedure, a doctor puts a needle into your lower back and takes out a small sample of spinal fluid. Spinal fluid is the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. If this fluid has more red blood cells than usual, you could have a sub­arachnoid hemorrhage.

● Cerebral angiogram – For this test, your doc­tor puts a thin, plastic tube into a large blood vessel, usually near the top of your thigh. Then he or she will advance the tube through your blood vessels past your heart to your brain. Your doctor then injects dye that shows up on an X-ray. This lets the doc­tor see the blood vessels in your brain and find the aneurysm.

How is a brain aneu­rysm treated?

— There are 2 main ways to treat a brain an­eurysm:

● Surgical clipping – In this surgery, your doc­tor puts a tiny metal clip on the base of the aneu­rysm to stop the blood flow to it.

● Endovascular coil­ing – The first part of this treatment is like a cerebral angiogram (see above). But instead of injecting dye into the tube, your doctor advances a soft wire up through your blood ves­sels into the aneurysm. The wire coils up inside the aneurysm and seals it off from the blood vessel.

If your aneurysm is leaking or bursts, your doctor will do one of these treatments right away. If it has not burst, you might not be treated. The decision depends on the size of the aneurysm, your age, and whether you have other health problems.

MKO Abimbola holds a doctoral degree in physician associate studies from the United States of America. He is a Harvard Medical School scholar, affiliated with Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas. He specializes in Internal medicine, Acute care, Emergency Medicine, Geriatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgical services.