Brain Aneurysm

Brain aneurysm is enlargement of blood vessels in the brain due to thinning of the blood vessel walls. When blood flow presses the walls of blood vessels, blood vessels will bulge like a balloon. This condition can become very serious when a brain aneurysm ruptures and subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs.

Brain aneurysm is a serious disease because it can cause brain damage and even death. Anyone can experience a brain aneurysm. This condition is generally suffered by women > 40 years old.

The symptoms.

• Dizzy.
• Pain around the eyes.
• Difficult to talk.
• Disturbed body balance.
• Difficult to concentrate.
• Having a short memory.
• Paralysis on one side of the face.
• Vision loss.
• Eyelid drops.

Symptoms when the brain aneurysm has ruptured :

• Nausea.
• The neck becomes stiff.
• Visual impairment or double vision.
• Convulsions.
• Severe headache.
• Loss of consciousness.
• Light sensitive.
• Paralyzed.
• Weak on one side of the body or legs.

Cause.

• Brain aneurysms occur when blood vessel walls thin. The blood needed by the brain is channeled through four blood vessels that pass through the neck to reach the brain.
• Aneurysms occur in the thinning of blood vessels. The cause of the depletion of blood vessel walls can not be ascertained.

Risk factors :

• High blood pressure.
• > 40 years old.
• Girl.
• Head injury.
• Alcohol and drug consumption.
• Certain blood infections.
• Arteriosclerosis : hardening of the arteries.
• Decreased postmenopausal estrogen hormone levels.
• Polycystic kidney disease.
• Aortic Coartation.
• Arterial-venous malformations.
• Body tissue disorders (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Marfan syndrome).
• Family history of brain aneurysm.

Diagnosis.

• Physical examination.
• CT scan combined with angiography (CTA).
• MRI combined with angiography (MRA).
• Cerebrospinal fluid examination. Cerebrosipinal fluid is fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

Treatment.

Management of brain aneurysms aims to :

• Prevents aneurysm rupture.
• Improve patient health conditions.

Prevents complications.

• Patients will be given blood pressure-lowering drugs.
• Change your diet.
• Stop smoking.
• Limiting caffeine consumption.
• Vascular clamping surgery (neurosurgical clipping): to close the aneurysm by using a clip on a blood vessel that provides blood to the aneurysm, so that the aneurysm does not enlarge and rupture.
• Endovascular coiling : inserting a catheter tube from an artery in the thigh or groin to reach the location of the aneurysm.
• For cases of aneurysms that have ruptured, emergency treatment needs to be done immediately.

Medications given :

• Calcium channel blocking drugs (nimodipine) : prevent vasospasm which is a complication of brain aneurysms.
• Pain relievers (paracetamol) : to relieve symptoms of dizziness.
• Anti-seizure medications (evetiracetam, phenytoin, and valproic acid) : for treating seizures due to a ruptured aneurysm.
• Vasopressor drugs : to prevent strokes due to reduced blood supply to the brain due to detention in narrowed blood vessels. These drugs are usually given by intravenous injection.

Treatment for a ruptured brain aneurysm :

• Installation of ventricular or lumbar draining catheters and shunt to remove fluid from the brain and spine.
• Patients who experience subarachnoid hemorrhage are advised to undergo physiotherapy and speech therapy to restore the condition.