If Ruptured, Initial Death Risk Is 30%... 'Time Bomb' Cerebral Aneurysm, Prevention Is the Best Treatment

Brain blood vessels swell like balloons
95% improvement expected with early treatment
Manage risk factors such as hypertension and smoking

If a cerebral aneurysm ruptures, symptoms such as an intense headache resembling a blow from a blunt object, stiffness in the back of the neck, and vomiting may occur. In severe cases, paralysis, loss of consciousness, and respiratory arrest can also develop.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwanju] A cerebral aneurysm is called a "time bomb" inside the head. When a cerebral blood vessel balloons like a balloon and ruptures, the initial mortality risk reaches 30%, and even if the patient survives, severe aftereffects may remain. The best treatment for cerebral aneurysms is to detect and manage them before they rupture.

A cerebral aneurysm refers to a condition where the wall of a blood vessel in the brain weakens and balloons like a balloon, making it uncertain when it might burst. Just as a balloon eventually bursts when it inflates, a cerebral aneurysm can gradually enlarge and rupture. This causes a type of brain hemorrhage called subarachnoid hemorrhage, which threatens life and can leave permanent aftereffects even if the patient survives. Although the exact cause is not clear, congenital vascular wall diseases, metabolic diseases and lifestyle habits that cause vascular damage, especially hypertension and smoking, are reported as risk factors.

The number of cerebral aneurysm patients has recently increased sharply. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of patients visiting hospitals for unruptured cerebral aneurysms increased by more than 70%, from 80,492 in 2017 to 143,828 last year. However, this figure is not entirely negative as it reflects the activation of early screening. Professor Ko Junseok of the Department of Neurosurgery at Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital explained, "The reason for the recent increase in cerebral aneurysms is unclear, but one cause is the increase in people discovering cerebral aneurysms due to the activation of early screening."

Cerebral aneurysms are dangerous diseases with a mortality rate exceeding 50% if ruptured. Therefore, preventing rupture is most important. To prevent rupture, early detection and treatment through regular checkups are essential. Especially, even if there are no clear symptoms, if there are conditions related to blood pressure such as hypertension or a family history of cerebral aneurysms, regular checkups are recommended. Tests are mainly done through cerebral vascular CT, cerebral vascular MRI, and cerebral angiography. If a cerebral aneurysm is detected and treated before rupture, good results can be expected in more than 95% of cases.

Representative surgical treatments for cerebral aneurysms include clipping and coil embolization.
[Photo by Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital]

When a cerebral aneurysm is detected, treatment is decided considering the aneurysm’s shape, location, size, and the patient’s health condition. For unruptured cerebral aneurysms that are 3 mm or smaller and in elderly patients, conservative treatment through observation is applied. However, if the size is large or even if small but the shape is irregular with a high risk of rupture, surgical treatment may be considered. Surgery consists of ‘clip ligation’ and ‘coil embolization.’ Clip ligation is a surgical method where the skull at the forehead is opened and the ballooned cerebral aneurysm is clamped with a clip-like fastener. Coil embolization is a method where, without opening the head, a thin catheter is inserted into the cerebral artery through the femoral artery in the groin, and the inside of the cerebral aneurysm is filled and blocked with a special coil made of platinum or similar material. This is suitable for patients for whom brain surgery is difficult or direct surgery carries high risk.

Once rupture occurs, it is crucial to visit the hospital as quickly as possible. Ruptured cerebral aneurysms frequently re-rupture within the first 24 hours, and the mortality rate upon re-rupture approaches 70%. When a cerebral aneurysm ruptures, symptoms such as an extremely severe headache like being hit with a blunt object, stiff neck, and vomiting may occur, and in severe cases, paralysis, loss of consciousness, and respiratory arrest may appear. However, it should be noted that in rare cases, mild headaches similar to cold symptoms may persist for several days.

Above all, to prevent cerebral aneurysms, it is necessary to thoroughly manage related factors such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking, hyperlipidemia, obesity, stress, and lack of exercise. It is also important to practice abstinence from alcohol and smoking as much as possible.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.