Also called: Also called: Berry aneurysm, Cerebral aneurysm, Intracranial aneurysm
A brain aneurysm is an abnormal bulge or "ballooning" in the wall of an artery in the brain. They are sometimes called berry aneurysms because they are often the size of a small berry. Most brain aneurysms produce no symptoms until they become large, begin to leak blood, or rupture.
If a brain aneurysm presses on nerves in your brain, it can cause signs and symptoms. These can include:
- A droopy eyelid
- Double vision or other changes in vision
- Pain above or behind the eye
- A dilated pupil
- Numbness or weakness on one side of the face or body
Treatment depends on the size and location of the aneurysm, whether it is infected, and whether it has ruptured. If a brain aneurysm ruptures, symptoms can include a sudden, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, loss of consciousness, and signs of a stroke. Any of these symptoms require immediate medical attention.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
-
Cerebral Aneurysm
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_aneurysm/cerebral_aneurysm.htm
- Brain Aneurysm(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/brain-aneurysm/DS00582/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
-
Cerebral Aneurysm(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cerebral_aneurysm/detail_cerebral_aneurysm.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/Aneurismas_Cerebrales.htm
- Aneurysms in 2nd Generation May Not Come Early(02/23/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_80937.html
- Angiogram(Society for Vascular Surgery) - http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Angiogram.html
- Brain Aneurysm Warning Signs/Symptoms(Brain Aneurysm Foundation) - http://www.bafound.org/info/symptoms.php
-
Catheter Angiography(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=angiocath
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=angiocath&bhcp=1
-
Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA)(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=angioct
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=angioct
- Duplex Ultrasound(Society for Vascular Surgery) - http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Duplex_Ultrasound.html
-
MR Angiography (MRA)(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=angiomr
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=angiomr&bhcp=1
- Thunderclap Headaches(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/thunderclap-headaches/DS00644/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
-
Brain Aneurysm Embolization(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=dc-embol
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=dc-embol
- Brain Aneurysm Treatment Options(Brain Aneurysm Foundation) - http://www.bafound.org/treatment/
-
Neurosurgery - What Is It?
(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/whatisneurosurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/whatisneurosurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm - Treatment Options for Cerebral Aneurysms(American Association of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/treatment.asp
- Brain Aneurysm Recovery(Brain Aneurysm Foundation) - http://www.bafound.org/support/recovery.php
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage(Brain Aneurysm Foundation) - http://www.bafound.org/info/subarachnoid.php
- Unruptured Brain Aneurysms(Brain Aneurysm Foundation) - http://www.bafound.org/info/unruptured.php
-
Neurosurgery - What Is It?(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/whatisneurosurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/whatisneurosurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
- Clipping and Coiling: Treatment Options for Brain Aneurysms(OR-Live) - One hour program - 8/01/2006 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=325
-
If I Had - The Worst Headache of My Life(Insidermedicine) - http://insidermedicine.com/archives/If_I_Had_-_The_Worst_Headache_of_My_Life_-_Dr_Steven_Chang_MD_2505.aspx?p=mdlnp
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Intracranial Aneurysm(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Intracranial+Aneurysm%22
- Close Relatives of Intracranial Aneurysm Patients May Have Increased Risk of Condition(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=341
- State of the Art of Medicine: Deciding on Preventive Screening Tests After Bleeding in the Brain(American Academy of Neurology) - http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/full/70/22/e92?maxtoshow=&HITS=20&hits=20&RESULTFORMAT=&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&displaysectionid=Patient+Pages&resourcetype=HWCIT
- Treating Brain Hemorrhage Early at High-Volume Centers Improves Outcomes(American Heart Association) - http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=646
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Clinical decisions. Care of an unresponsive patient with a poor... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19264684&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Surgical repair of unruptured and ruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms:... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19240602&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Age at intracranial aneurysm rupture among generations: Familial Intracranial Aneurysm... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19237697&tool=MedlinePlus
- Brain Aneurysm -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=intracranial+aneurysm[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]))&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+2+Years&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary of Neurosurgical Terms(American Association of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/glossary.asp
- Find a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon(American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/findaneuro/
- Find a Vascular Specialist(Society for Vascular Surgery) - http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/Member_Search/Physician_Search.html
- Find an Accredited Echocardiography Laboratory or Vascular Laboratory(American Society of Echocardiography) - http://www.asecho.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3333
- Brain Aneurysm Foundation - http://www.bafound.org/
-
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- Aneurysms(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/clinicalservices/Site2162/mainpageS2162P17.html
- Aneurysms - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aneurysms.html
- Blood, Heart and Circulation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bloodheartandcirculation.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Brain Aneurysm is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/