Brain aneurysms are also referred to as a cerebral aneurysm or intracranial aneurysm. There are four major blood vessel s that supply blood to the brain, two carotid arteries and two vertebral arteries. These blood vessels join together to form the Circle of Willis at the base of the brain, smaller arteries leave the circle and branch out to supply brain cells with oxygen and nutrients. The artery junction points may become weak, as the artery wall becomes thinner from dilation, the blood flow causes the weakened wall to swell outward causing a ballooning of the blood vessel wall to form a small sac or aneurysm. Cerebral aneurysms are common and mostly asymptomatic and found incidentally at autopsy. Pressure inside the vessels can cause the
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Saccular aneurysms are the most common, they account for 80-90% of all intracranial aneurysms. These are the most common cause of nontraumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhages (SAH). Saccular aneurysms are known as “berry” aneurysms because of their shape, it looks like a sac or berry forming at the bifurcation of the “Y” segment of the arteries. Fusiform aneurysms are less common and an outpouching of an arterial wall on both sides of the artery like a blood vessel that is expanded in all directions, it does not have a stem and rarely ruptures. When an aneurysm ruptures, it is considered a Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), this causes bleeding into the surrounding tissue of the brain called the subarachnoid space. Often times the aneurysm will heal over time and the bleeding will stop and in more serious cases, it can lead to death. The blood from the aneurysm can leak into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the pool of blood forms a clot and then the blood can irritate damage or destroy nearby brain cells and may cause problems with body functions or mental skills. The blood from the torn aneurysm can block the CSF circulation; this can lead to fluid build-up and increased pressure on the brain. Not all aneurysms rupture and when they don’t doctors have to decide whether they want to take action or not, the factors they take into consideration are risk of hemorrhage, size and location, age and health of patient and also family
Saccular aneurysms are the most common, they account for 80-90% of all intracranial aneurysms. These are the most common cause of nontraumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhages (SAH). Saccular aneurysms are known as “berry” aneurysms because of their shape, it looks like a sac or berry forming at the bifurcation of the “Y” segment of the arteries. Fusiform aneurysms are less common and an outpouching of an arterial wall on both sides of the artery like a blood vessel that is expanded in all directions, it does not have a stem and rarely ruptures. When an aneurysm ruptures, it is considered a Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), this causes bleeding into the surrounding tissue of the brain called the subarachnoid space. Often times the aneurysm will heal over time and the bleeding will stop and in more serious cases, it can lead to death. The blood from the aneurysm can leak into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the pool of blood forms a clot and then the blood can irritate damage or destroy nearby brain cells and may cause problems with body functions or mental skills. The blood from the torn aneurysm can block the CSF circulation; this can lead to fluid build-up and increased pressure on the brain. Not all aneurysms rupture and when they don’t doctors have to decide whether they want to take action or not, the factors they take into consideration are risk of hemorrhage, size and location, age and health of patient and also family