A ruptured aneurysm can cause serious health problems such as hemorrhagic stroke, brain damage, coma, and even death. Some cerebral aneurysms, particularly those that are very small, do not bleed or cause other problems.
The annual rate of rupture is approximately 8 – 10 per 100,000 people. About 30,000 people in the United States suffer a brain aneurysm rupture each year. A brain aneurysm ruptures every 18 minutes. There are almost 500,000 deaths worldwide each year caused by brain aneurysms, and half the victims are younger than 50.
With rapid, expert treatment, patients can often recover fully. An unruptured brain aneurysm may cause zero symptoms. People can live with them for years before detection. If a brain aneurysm is unruptured, no blood has broken through the blood vessel walls.
Can people live a long time with a brain aneurysm? Absolutely. Many aneurysms cause no symptoms at all. Some people live for years without knowing they have a brain aneurysm.
Sadly, 40-45% of those struck by a ruptured brain aneurysm will not survive. The statistics alone can be scary, isolating, and cause anxiety. Individuals may choose to isolate themselves because of their condition and recede from life in general.
An unruptured aneurysm might not initially have any symptoms, but that usually changes as it grows larger. The warning signs that indicate a person has developed an unruptured brain aneurysm include: Pain behind or above an eye. Double vision.
It will take 3 to 6 weeks to fully recover. If you had bleeding from your aneurysm this may take longer. You may feel tired for up to 12 or more weeks. If you had a stroke or brain injury from the bleeding, you may have permanent problems such as trouble with speech or thinking, muscle weakness, or numbness.
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.
Cerebral aneurysms located at the posterior communicating artery and in the arteries in the back part of the brain (called the vertebral and basilar arteries) are common and have higher risk of rupture than aneurysms at other locations.
You should see a GP as soon as possible if you experience symptoms of an unruptured brain aneurysm. Although most aneurysms will not rupture, it's important to get it checked in case treatment is necessary.
Small, unruptured aneurysms, particularly in the front of the brain, are sometimes safely left alone, particularly in older patients and those without a family history of aneurysm rupture or other risk factors such as uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Mortality of coiling was 1.3% (2 of 149; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7–5.1%) and morbidity was 2.6% (4 of 149; 95% CI, 0.8–7.0%).
It's rare, but an aneurysm that is large or growing can push on nerves or tissue and cause migraine-like symptoms, including: Headaches. Pain above or behind the eyes. Numbness, usually in your face.
Survivors face the potential for physical, emotional, and cognitive changes that can be minor or significant, short-term or long-lasting. Recovery for patients who suffered a ruptured aneurysm tends to be longer and more difficult than it is for patients whose aneurysm did not rupture.
An aneurysm's size can also give doctors clues to its level of threat. Aneurysms that are: Less than 3 mm in size have a low risk of rupture. Larger than 3 mm have a higher risk of bursting.
High blood pressure, which is the leading risk factor for thoracic aortic aneurysms but also a risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Bacterial infections, which are a risk factor for thoracic aortic aneurysms. Kidney conditions, such as renal failure, chronic kidney disease, and polycystic kidney disease. Obesity.
High blood pressure is the leading cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Heavy lifting or straining can cause pressure to rise in the brain and may lead to an aneurysm rupture. Strong emotions, such as being upset or angry, can raise blood pressure and can subsequently cause aneurysms to rupture.
Left untreated, an aneurysm may rupture or burst — a very severe form of stroke.
If treatment is recommended, this usually involves either filling the aneurysm with tiny metal coils (coiling) or an open operation to seal it shut with a tiny metal clip (surgical clipping). The same techniques used to prevent ruptures are also used to treat brain aneurysms that have already ruptured.
In this meta-analysis of 61 studies, we found that clipping of unruptured aneurysms was associated with a mortality of 2.6% (95% CI, 2.0% to 3.3%) and a morbidity of 10.9% (95% CI, 9.6% to 12.2%). Half the patients with surgical morbidity became dependent in daily life.
Cognitive dysfunction is a frequent complication of an aneurysm or the surgery to repair it. The aneurysm and the surgery may cause physical changes to brain tissue and can lead to diffuse cognitive deficits, including problems with attention, memory, executive functioning, and information processing.
aneurysms larger than 5 mm in patients younger than 60 years of age should be seriously considered for treatment; large, incidental aneurysms larger than 10 mm should be treated in nearly all patients younger than 70 years of age.