Brain Aneurysms: Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

Each year in the United States, roughly 30,000 people suffer a ruptured brain aneurysm. Ten to 15 percent of those people die before even arriving at the hospital, while more than 50 percent die within thirty days of the ruptured aneurysm. What many people do not know is that an estimated 15 million people in the U.S. have brain aneurysms, however, very few will actually rupture. An aneurysm is a bulge in one of the brain’s arteries, which is usually only discovered when it ruptures, resulting in a subarachnoid hemorrhage. When an aneurysm ruptures, the surrounding area is flooded with blood, creating a need for immediate medical treatment. Most small aneurysms do not rupture, so there is no need for treatment, but some larger aneurysms may require treatment if the bulge is pressing against brain tissue and nerves.

Though small aneurysms may not cause any symptoms, larger aneurysms or ones that have ruptured have several symptoms that a person may feel if an aneurysm is present. People with large brain aneurysms that have not ruptured may experience changes in vision (double vision, etc.), pain behind or above the eye , a dilated pupil, drooping of an eyelid, or numbness or paralysis of either side of the face. When an aneurysm has ruptured, a person might experience loss of consciousness, a sudden and unrelenting headache, double vision, nausea and vomiting or a stiff neck. If these symptoms occur, immediate medical attention is crucial to find the cause treat the possible rupture.

Aneurysms usually occur because the arteries in the brain have weakened as a person gets older, allowing infections or head injuries to rupture the aneurysm. A person’s risk of developing an aneurysm drastically increases if two or more members of their family has experienced an aneurysm. Other factors, including high blood pressure (over 160/95), quick increases in blood pressure, smoking and other medical conditions may increase a person’s risk. People with high blood pressure that smoke cigarettes are about 15 times more likely to suffer a ruptured aneurysm than someone that does not smoke or have high blood pressure. As for treatment of an aneurysm, there are different procedures, depending on whether an aneurysm has or has not ruptured. For people with aneurysms that have not ruptured, the need for surgery depends on their age, health and the size, location and type of aneurysm they have. If the aneurysm is small (< 7mm), it is probable that no surgery will be needed, however, larger aneurysms producing problems in the brain may require a procedure. Options for both ruptured and unruptured aneurysms include endovascular embolization, which uses a catheter to block blood flow, and microvascular clipping, where a clip is placed on the neck of the aneurysm to prevent blood from reaching it. There are also options just for ruptured aneurysms, including drugs that prevent seizures, open blood vessels and relieve headaches and surgery that redirects excess fluid from the brain to the abdominal cavity using shunt, the rubber tube that allows for drainage of the fluid.

A few ways to lower your risk of developing an aneurysm and the chance of rupture are to avoid smoking, use aspirin carefully, avoid straining activities and limit consumption of caffeine. A ruptured aneurysm requires immediate treatment by a doctor or hospital. If you or a loved one believes you have experienced a delay in treatment for an aneurysm or has medical malpractice questions, please contact Silberstein, Awad & Miklos. We serve clients in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Long Island, Staten Island and Westchester. Call us toll-free at 1-877-ASK4SAM and visit www.ask4sam.net

For more information on brain aneurysms, visit www.brainaneurysm.com