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A cerebral aneurysm is also known as a brain aneurysm. Aneurysms occur when a weak spot in the wall of an artery in the brain creates a balloon-like pouch or sac. This pouch can leak or rupture, which can cause bleeding in the brain or stroke.

Brain Aneurysm Symptoms:

A small, unchanging aneurysm may produce no symptoms. However, aneurysms may rupture, causing life-threatening bleeding in the brain. When an aneurysm ruptures, the patient may experience sudden symptoms that can include:

• Sudden, severe headache (“worst headache of my life”)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Vision impairment, like blurred or double vision
• Stiff neck
• Seizure
• Loss of consciousness

Brain aneurysms occur more commonly in women than men. They occur mainly in adults and are rare in children. A brain aneurysm is usually diagnosed with the use of an angiogram, which is an imaging test that uses X-rays to view the body’s blood vessels.

Brain Aneurysm Treatment:

Ruptured aneurysms are a medical emergency that must be treated promptly. Surgical clipping or endovascular coiling are the primary treatments for a ruptured aneurysm.

• Endovascular coiling is a minimally invasive treatment that uses a catheter to reach the brain and stop blood flow to a brain aneurysm. This effectively “seals off” the aneurysm.
• Surgical clipping is a more invasive treatment that requires a surgeon to “clip off” the aneurysm, which disrupts the blood flow.

The treatment of unruptured aneurysms is based on the individual patient. Treatments can include surgery, endovascular coiling, stenting and the placement of a “glue” to clot the blood flowing to an aneurysm.

*Disclaimer: The materials available at this website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing medical advice. You should contact your doctor to obtain advice with respect to any particular medical issue or problem. Use and access to this website or any of the links contained within the site do not create a doctor-client relationship. The opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the medical office or any individual doctor or physician.

At Nashville Neurosurgery Associates, we are proud to be one of the region’s leading neurosurgical centers. Our endovascular team are experts in the care and treatment of brain aneurysms.

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