Cerebral Aneurysm

You absorb oxygen and nutrients because of blood vessels that transport blood throughout your body. But these blood vessels aren’t always healthy and sometimes begin to bulge like a balloon. This damage, called a cerebral aneurysm (brain aneurysm), doesn’t always come with brain aneurysm symptoms, though.

Most cerebral aneurysms are only discovered while testing for another condition or during a rupture. An aneurysm that leaks or ruptures blood into the brain (causing a stroke) can cause permanent damage and is potentially life-threatening.

Cerebral aneurysms vary in severity. Some have symptoms that are intense enough to require immediate medical intervention. Others show little to no signs of a brain aneurysm at all and might only be discovered during a routine wellness check.

The three types of aneurysms are:

Leaking Aneurysms

These develop when a small amount of blood leaks out of the blood vessel in the brain. These leaks, also called sentinel bleeds, are rare and are often the warning signs that a rupture is about to happen. Symptoms include severe headache, nausea and vomiting. If you suspect a possible leak, seek medical help immediately.

Ruptured Aneurysms

A ruptured cerebral aneurysm is unmistakable and creates a severely debilitating aneurysm headache. Seek medical help immediately. A ruptured brain aneurysm can lead to heavy blood loss, brain damage and even death.

Unruptured Aneurysms

These are deceivingly mild but are subtle warning signs that you should talk to a medical expert about your symptoms. You may notice changes in vision and pupil appearance, face paralysis and numbness.

Constant pressure from blood flow is what can weaken a blood vessel in the brain and cause it to swell up like a balloon. Typically, this swelling happens slowly. As the blood vessel stretches, it becomes weaker and more likely to leak or burst.

It’s common to wonder if there are any warning signs of a brain aneurysm. Identifying potential brain aneurysm symptoms can be critical to avoiding brain damage, loss of function and even loss of life.

Signs of a brain aneurysm vary depending on the type of aneurysm, and may include:

• Altered vision
• Difficulty with speech
• Eye pain
• Face paralysis
• Heart attack
• Light sensitivity
• Loss of balance
• Loss of consciousness
• Loss of short-term memory
• Nausea
• Numbness
• Pupil dilation
• Seizures
• Stiff neck
• Vomiting
• Weakness

Most people don’t know they have an aneurysm when it’s unruptured or leaking since symptoms are mild or nonexistent. Those who are proactive and want to be tested for an aneurysm headache or other symptoms may see their physician for screening options, like:

Cerebral Angiography

In this procedure, the physician can avoid surgery and clearly visualize abnormalities in the brain by entering a catheter into a blood vessel in your arm or leg and injecting a contrast dye to get a clear vision of the affected area.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Analysis

Your physician may get a better idea of if there is bleeding in your brain by analyzing your cerebrospinal fluid. The most common form of analysis is through a spinal tap, a procedure where the physician removes a sample of your cerebrospinal fluid through a hollow needle injection in the patient’s lower back. The sample will be sent to a laboratory for analysis.

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan

Using X-rays and contrasting dye to produce 2D images of the brain and skull, we can get a better look at your aneurysm. When it comes to how to detect a brain aneurysm, these CT scans can be the first step.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Magnetic signals from a medical device translate to radio waves in a nearby computer, and radio waves are translated into images that detect the cerebral aneurysm. A magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) can also be used to produce more detailed images of the blood vessels in your brain.

How to treat an aneurysm will depend on the type of aneurysm, the potential risk of interference and the severity of your condition. Treatment may be as simple as routine monitoring to ensure the aneurysm doesn’t rupture, or as complex as taking aggressive steps like minimally invasive surgery.

Treatment options include:

Flow Diversion Devices

A small, hollow tube called a stent can be inserted into your blood vessel to direct blood away from the aneurysm. This way, your surgeon can avoid entering the aneurysm itself.

Medication

Specific medications — such as anti-seizure medication or ones that reduce heavy blood flow to the brain — may be prescribed by your physician to treat ruptured cerebral aneurysms.

Microvascular Clipping

Your surgeon can perform safe and highly effective brain surgery while you’re awake through microvascular clipping. During this open surgical procedure, a portion of your skull is gently and temporarily removed, and a tiny clip is placed in the affected area to stop blood flow from entering the cerebral aneurysm. Most aneurysms that are clipped do not recur.

Platinum Coil Embolization

Your surgeon can block the leak or rupture and reduce blood flow through platinum coil embolization. In this procedure, a surgeon threads a catheter into the blood vessel toward the cerebral aneurysm. They then insert a tiny platinum wire coil through the catheter to reduce the blood flow.