Brain Aneurysm

Dementia Slideshow Pictures Alzheimer's Disease Slideshow Pictures Brain Foods Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

View Full Profile

• Brain Aneurysm Overview
• Brain Aneurysm Causes
• Brain Aneurysm Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Brain Aneurysm Diagnosis
• Brain Aneurysm Exams and Tests
• Brain Aneurysm Treatment
• Brain Aneurysm Self-Care at Home
• Brain Aneurysm Medical Treatment
• Brain Aneurysm Medications
• Brain Aneurysm Follow-up
• Brain Aneurysm Prevention
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Read more on Aneurysm, Brain from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Brain Aneurysm - Treatments
• Viewer Comments: Brain Aneurysm - Describe Your Experience

Brain Aneurysm Overview

Brain aneurysms occur because of weakness in the wall of an artery in the brain that causes a small bulging or ballooning.

An aneurysm by itself does not cause symptoms and may be found in up to 10% of the population.

Symptoms occur when blood leaks from the artery into the subarachnoid space (the area that surrounds the brain and spinal cord that is filled with cerebrospinal fluid) or into adjacent brain tissue and causes inflammation or even brain tissue compression. Severe headache, stiff neck, and vomiting most commonly occur.

Usually, there is a sentinel or "warning" headache with a small leak of blood. This is a sign that one should seek help and have his or her symptoms evaluated. The second bleed tends to be more catastrophic, causing significant brain damage.

The diagnosis of brain aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage includes a high index of suspicion by the physician. A CT scan of the brain is the first test and is helpful 95% of the time. A lumbar puncture may be performed to look for bleeding if the CT scan is normal and an aneurysm has not been ruled out.

Treatment for a ruptured aneurysm depends upon the patient's presentation and potential for recovery. Neurosurgery to place a clip across the aneurysm or interventional radiology to place platinum coils into the aneurysm may be appropriate options.