Cerebral Aneurysm

Disease description

A cerebral aneurysm is a localized bulging of a brain artery wall caused by its weakening. While many aneurysms remain undetected throughout life, a ruptured aneurysm can lead to serious consequences, including subarachnoid hemorrhage, stroke, and even death. Statistics show that approximately 1 in 50 people has an unruptured cerebral aneurysm, most of which remain asymptomatic.

Symptoms Requiring Diagnosis and Treatment:

• Sudden, severe headache (often described as a “thunderclap” headache)
• Blurred or double vision
• Eye pain or changes in pupil size
• Numbness or weakness on one side of the face
• Nausea and vomiting
• Loss of consciousness

Diagnostic and treatment methods

Diagnosis

Diagnosis begins with an emergency computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain, especially if rupture is suspected. CT angiography (CTA) or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) provides more precise visualization of the aneurysm, determining its size, shape, and location. In some cases, cerebral angiography (DSA) is used to obtain detailed images of brain blood vessels.

Treatment

The management of cerebral aneurysms is contingent upon their size, anatomical location, and rupture risk profile. For small, asymptomatic aneurysms, surveillance with periodic imaging follow-up may constitute the recommended approach. In cases demonstrating elevated rupture risk, endovascular intervention is typically employed, utilizing coil embolization or stent placement techniques to reinforce the vascular wall and prevent hemorrhagic events. When endovascular modalities prove contraindicated or technically unfeasible, open microsurgical clipping remains the definitive treatment option.

Innovations in global clinics

Contemporary neurosurgical practice has witnessed the advent of novel endovascular technologies, including flow-diverting stent grafts, which significantly mitigate rupture potential while optimizing patient recovery timelines. Parallel developments in molecular therapeutics are emerging, focusing on arterial wall stabilization and aneurysm growth inhibition through targeted biological pathways.