Concept and Etiology
a a 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.
a Pain above and behind the eye, double vision, nausea, stiff neck,
sensitivity to light, vomiting, numbness, weakness
Signs
: a dilated pupils, paralysis on one side of face, loss of
consciousness, seizure, cardiac arrest
a
Diagnostic Tests
CT Scan - Computed tomography
a a MRI - Magnetic resonance imaging
a a 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
