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The Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Aneurysm

If you grabbed 100 Americans off the street and gave them a brain scan, two would likely have what’s called a cerebral aneurysm—a weak or bulging blood vessel in the brain. Most of these ballooning arteries have no symptoms and may never cause problems... and you might not even know you have one unless you have an imaging test for something else—say, a CT or MRI if you fall and hit your head. Science has come a long way in understanding the risk factors for aneurysms—which include being older, female, and having certain genetic conditions—and how to treat them. But there’s still a gap in knowledge in terms of knowing which will rupture and which won’t...

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 Forbidden Fruit: Some Berry Aneurysms Might Best Be Left Alone

Unruptured cerebral aneurysms are often found incidentally at brain imaging, and the number has undoubtedly increased due to the tremendous expansion of noninvasive vascular imaging of the head. From 1994 to 2015, emergency department utilization of CT angiography of the head increased 14 600% and MR angiography of the head increased 525% for Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. More imaging depicts a greater number of unruptured cerebral aneurysms, which requires more decisions to be made about management. Though data continues to accumulate regarding the low risk of hemorrhage from most cerebral aneurysms, there is no apparent trend away from treatment toward follow-up.

Articles of Interest

A modern experience with saccular aortic aneurysms

Despite the common perception of a more malignant natural history of saccular aortic aneurysms, the true rupture risk of saccular aneurysms is unknown. Saccular aneurysms have historically been perceived by vascular surgeons as possessing a greater rupture risk than their fusiform counterparts, and, as a result, are often repaired at smaller diameters.

Berry Aneurysm

Berry (saccular) aneurysms are the most common type of intracranial aneurysm, representing 90% of cerebral aneurysms. Generally speaking, there is a ballooning arising from a weakened area in the wall of a blood vessel in the brain. Depending on the size of the aneurysm, their symptomatology ranges from asymptomatic to intracerebral hemorrhage (subarachnoid) in the most extreme cases. Berry aneurysm is an older terminology that has mostly been replaced by saccular aneurysm.

Biology of Saccular Cerebral Aneurysms: A Review of Current Understanding and Future Directions

Understanding the biology of intracranial aneurysms is a clinical quandary. How these aneurysms form, progress, and rupture is poorly understood. Evidence indicates that well-established risk factors play a critical role, along with immunologic factors, in their development and clinical outcomes.

Brain Aneurysms Need Watching, Not Worrying

These aneurysms nearly always are discovered accidentally on an MRI that was taken to evaluate a headache or other symptoms. Once an aneurysm is found, it requires a careful evaluation by a specialist who understands the risk an aneurysm could pose to the patient. Medical studies show the risk of a brain aneurysm rupturing is quite low.

Coil Embolization of Very Small (2 mm or Smaller) Berry Aneurysms: Feasibility and Technical Issues

The very small size of cerebral aneurysms is considered to be one of the limitations for endovascular treatment, with a high risk for intraoperative rupture. We report on treatment of very small saccular ruptured cerebral aneurysms by coil embolization. All the cases were of 2-mm aneurysms with at least 1 of the dimensions being less than 2 mm.

Disappearing Saccular Intracranial Aneurysms: Do They Really Disappear?

Evolution and natural history of cerebral aneurysms is a dynamic process. Spontaneous regression in size or complete disappearance of an aneurysm is a known phenomenon, more commonly noted in giant intracranial aneurysms. However, reappearance or regrowth of such aneurysms is rare with few anecdotal reports.

Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms

Several factors should be considered in selection of the optimal management of a UIA, including the size, location, and other morphological characteristics of the aneurysm...

Saccular abdominal aortic aneurysms: a case series

Abdominal aorta is the most common site for aneurysms in the arterial tree. Abdominal aortic aneurysms are classified as fusiform or saccular based on the morphology. Majority of the treatment guidelines concentrate on fusiform aneurysms which are more prevalent...

Saccular Aneurysm

About 85% of cerebral aneurysms are located in the anterior circulation at the arterial bifurcations on the circle of Willis and the middle cerebral artery bifurcation. Most of the saccular aortic aneurysms are located in the descending thoracic aorta.

Saccular Aneurysm Models Featuring Growth and Rupture: A Systematic Review

Extracranial saccular aneurysm models with growth and rupture are rare. Most of these models presented the increases in aneurysm size by means of maturation rather than ongoing degradation of the aneurysm wall and true growth that ultimately results in aneurysm rupture.

Saccular Aortic Aneurysms

Most vascular surgeons believe that saccular aortic aneurysms have a more ominous natural history than the typical fusiform aneurysm, although this is not documented in the literature. Expeditious repair is indicated for symptomatic saccular aneurysms, and intervention is usually advocated even when they are asymptomatic because of the general belief that their unique shape predisposes them to rupture.

Saccular cerebral aneurysm

Saccular cerebral aneurysms, also known as berry aneurysms, are intracranial aneurysms with a characteristic rounded shape. They account for the vast majority of intracranial aneurysms and are the most common cause of non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Ten-year analysis of saccular aneurysms in the Barrow Ruptured Aneurysm Trial

This final report comparing the safety and efficacy of clipping versus coiling is limited to an analysis of those patients presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from a ruptured saccular aneurysm.

The Perianeurysmal Environment: Influence on Saccular Aneurysm Shape and Rupture

The present study was aimed at demonstrating that intracranial saccular aneurysms interact with the PAE by developing contact constraints with surrounding anatomic structures, which may modify the natural history of an aneurysm.

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StatPearls

Saccular cerebral aneurysms can also be classified by size (small: 5 mm or less, medium: 6 to 14 mm, large: 15 to 25 mm, giant: greater than 25 mm).[2] Most cerebral aneurysms are asymptomatic and small. Most of the saccular aortic aneurysms are located in the descending thoracic aorta