Cerebral aneurysm

Cerebral Aneurysm

A cerebral aneurysm or brain aneurysm is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein causes a localized dilation or ballooning of the blood vessel.

Causes

Aneurysms in the brain occur when there's a weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel. An aneurysm can grow large and rupture (break open) or dissection. A rupture leads to bleeding in the brain or a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Symptoms

Most cerebral aneurysms do not show symptoms until they either become very large or burst. Small unchanging aneurysms generally will not produce symptoms. Whereas a larger aneurysm that is growing may press on tissues and nerves. Symptoms may include pain above and behind the eye, numbness, weakness, or paralysis on one side of the face, dilated pupils, and vision changes.

Diagnosis

Cerebral aneurysms are detected by various brain imaging techniques. These may include computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebral angiography.

Treatment

Treatment for brain aneurysms is more successful when it is detected and treated early. Treatments include surgical clipping or endovascular coiling. There are two common treatment options: surgical clipping or endovascular coiling. If a cerebral aneurysm has ruptured, treatments are usually done emergently.

See also

• Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Stroke
• Brain imaging
• Neurosurgery