BRAIN - ANEURYSMS

Aneurysms and Arteriovenous Malformations Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to the brain, and veins remove the waste products of brain cells. An aneurysm is a bulge on an artery wall. If an aneurysm breaks, a subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs. This bleeding into or around the brain can be devastating. Approximately one-third of patients who have an aneurysm rupture die, and another third end-up with a permanent disablity. An aneurysm can be repaired through open brain surgery, in which the surgeon places a clip on the aneurysm to prevent blood flow into it. Another treatment is to fill the aneurysm by placing small coils inside the aneurysm from within the blood vessel. This is called endovascular occlusion and is a technique similar to heart catheterization.

An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an abnormal mass of blood vessels. Large arteries bypass the fine capillary bed and feed directly into large veins. This tangle of blood vessels may cause seizures, or may rupture with bleeding into the brain. An AVM can be treated with embolization (filling the blood vessels with small particles or glue), with stereotactic radiosurgery, or through traditional open brain surgery. Sometimes, a combination of techniques can be utilized.