Discussion 4-2 Cerebral Aneurysm

Concept and Etiology

Acerebralaneurysmcanbedescribedasaweakbloodvesselin

thebrain,thatthenballoonsandfillswithblood.Thisvesselcanthen

leakorrupture,whichcouldcauselifethreatingbleeding.Thereare

nosymptomsifthevesseldoesnotrupture.So,findingthiscondition

earlyiscrucialforapatient'shealth.Inregardstotheweekone

discussionofhealth,acerebralaneurysmmaynothaveimmediate

impactonhealthifitdoesnotrupture.However,ifitdoesruptureit

greatlyaffectsthepatients’healthandtheycouldbeinimmediate

dangerofbleedingout

Classification

Acerebralaneurysmisclassifiedbythetypeandthesize.The

size'sbeingsmall (lessthan11millimetresdiameter),large(11-25

millimetres)andgiant(>25millimetres).Also,thetypesinclude,

saccular,fusiformandmycotic.Saccularaneurysmisthemost

commonandiswhenthebloodisinaroundedsacconnectedtothe

mainarteryoroneofitsbranches.Fusiformiswhentheaneurysm

balloonsonallsidesoftheartery.Lastlymycoticiswhenaninfection

affectsarteriesinthebrain,thusweakeningthearterywalland

causesananeurysmtoform.

Clinical Manifestations

Symptoms:Therearenoclearsymptomsunlesstheaneurysmisvery

largeorruptures.

Painaboveandbehindtheeye,doublevision,nausea,stiffneck,

sensitivitytolight,vomiting,numbness,weakness

Signs:dilatedpupils,paralysisononesideofface,lossof

consciousness,seizure,cardiacarrest



Diagnostic Tests

CTScan-Computedtomography

MRI-Magneticresonanceimaging

Cerebralangiography-findsblockageinarteriesinbrainor

neck.Canalsoidentifyweakspotsinanartery.

Resources

U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.(n.d.).Cerebral

aneurysmsfactsheet.NationalInstituteofNeurologicalDisordersand

Stroke.RetrievedNovember22,2021,

fromhttps://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-

Education/Fact-Sheets/Cerebral-Aneurysms-Fact-Sheet#3.