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Aneurysm
Medical Questions » Aneurysm
| Name: Aneurysm |
| Also known as: |
| Ballooning out of one part of an artery (or the heart), at a point where the artery becomes weakened. May be a slight bump on the side of an artery, a quite large bubble, or a long sausage-shaped extension along an artery. Any artery may be affected, but the most serious ones involve the aorta (the main artery down the back of the chest and abdomen — aortic aneurysm) and arteries in the brain (cerebral aneurysm). Different types are categorized by their shape. The most common are saccular or berry aneurysms which are direct ballooning on the side of an artery. The most sinister are the dissecting aneurysms, where only part of the artery wall is damaged (often by cholesterol plaques — arteriosclerosis) and the blood penetrates in between the layers of the artery wall, slowly splitting them apart, and extending along the artery. |
Causes of Aneurysm
Weakness in arteries may be caused by plaques of cholesterol, high blood pressure, injury to the artery or a congenital (present since birth) weakness in the wall of an artery. The heart wall may be damaged by a heart attack, and the weakened area can bulge out as an aneurysm. There is a slight hereditary tendency. |
Symptoms of Aneurysm
Usually no symptoms, unless the aneurysm is very large or presses on a nerve, but the aneurysm may burst, leading to a massive loss of blood or damage to surrounding organs (eg. brain), or they may extend to the point where they put pressure on other arteries, and cut off the blood supply to vital organs (eg. kidney). |
Tests for Aneurysm
Diagnosed on X-ray after special dye has been injected into the artery. Very large aneurysms may be seen on a plain X-ray. CT scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may also detect an aneurysm. |
Treatment for Aneurysm
The rupture of an aneurysm on a major artery can lead to death within seconds, or a slow leak may allow surgeons enough time to undertake a major operation to repair or replace the leaking artery. If an aneurysm is found incidentally, it may be operated upon to prevent it bursting, or left alone and regularly checked for any increase in size. In the brain, a small aneurysm may be clipped with a tiny U-shaped piece of silver to prevent it from leaking. It is vital to control blood pressure and avoid aggravating factors such as smoking and strenuous exercise.
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Complications of Aneurysm of its treatment
Not yet. |
Likely Outcome of Aneurysm
Extremely variable, depending on the site and severity of any rupture, but there is a significant overall mortality rate. |
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