CEREBRAL ANEURYSM

Course overview

CEREBRAL ANEURYSMS ARE DEFINED AS DILATIONS THAT OCCUR AT WEAK POINTS ALONG THE ARTERIAL CIRCULATION WITHIN THE BRAIN. THE MAJORITY OF CEREBRAL ANEURYSMS ARE SILENT AND MAY BE FOUND INCIDENTALLY ON NEUROIMAGING OR UPON AUTOPSY. APPROXIMATELY 85% OF ANEURYSMS ARE LOCATED IN THE ANTERIOR CIRCULATION, PREDOMINATELY AT JUNCTIONS, OR BIFURCATIONS ALONG THE CIRCLE OF WILLIS. SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE (SAH) USUALLY OCCURS WITH RUPTURE AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH A HIGH RATE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH A CEREBRAL ANEURYSM.