Alternative Names
Aneurysm – cerebral; Cerebral aneurysm
Definition of Aneurysm in the brain
An aneurysm is a weak area in the wall of a blood vesel that causes the blood vessel to bulge or balloon out. When an aneurysm occurs in a blood vessel of the brain, it is called a cerebral aneurysm.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
in the brain occur when there is a weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel. An aneurysm may be present from birth (congenital) or it may develop later in life, such as after a blood vessel is injured.
Symptoms
A person may have an aneurysm without having any symptoms. This kind of aneurysm may be found when an MRI or CT scan of the brain is done for another reason.
Signs and tests
An eye exam may show evidence of increased pressure in the brain (raised intracranial pressure), including swelling of the optic nerve or bleeding into the retina of the eye. A brain and nervous system (neurological) exam may show abnormal eye movement, speech, strength, or sensation.
Treatment
Two common methods are used to repair an aneurysm:
Expectations (prognosis)
The outcome varies. Patients who are in deep comas after an aneurysm rupture generally do not do as well as those with less severe symptoms.
Review
Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; and David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 9/28/2010
