ANEURYSM
Source: indianexpress
Condition:
- Aneurysm is swelling of the arteries and veins in any part of the body which is caused by the weakening of the walls.
- It mainly occurs in the aorta, behind the knees, brain, and intestines. If the aneurysm gets ruptured, it can even cause internal bleeding and stroke.
- Blood vessels of the brain and the heart are the most common locations of the severe aneurysm.
Types:
The swelling can be of two types.
Either the complete blood vessel is swollen or a specific side of the blood vessel can bulge out from the sides.
Risk Factors:
- Potential risk factors for aneurysms include smoking, age, high cholesterol, obesity, hypertension, and tissue disorders.
- Pregnancy can also increase the risk of aneurysms of the spleen.
Screening & Diagnosis:
- An aneurysm remains undetected & screening may be required for patients needing monitoring, and treatment.
- Women are at lower risk of developing an aneurysm.
- Men must undergo ultrasound screening around the age of 55 years and above, more so if they are regular smokers.
- MRI scans are useful for identifying aneurysms that do not rupture but the symptoms are prevalent.
- If the aneurysm gets ruptured and leads to the risk of bleeding in the brain, CT scans are preferred.
- An angiogram may be performed in extreme cases with severe rupture and bleeding in the brain to identify the exact area for treatment.
Treatment:
- A device called flow diversion stent is a new innovative intervention for the treatment of aneurysm, in the initial stages, when it is not ruptured.
- A cylindrical, metallic mesh stent is placed inside the sac of the parent blood vessel to divert the blood flow from the aneurysm.
- The diversion is aimed at preventing rupture.
- Flow diversion can be used to treat large or giant wide-necked brain aneurysms.
Risk reduction:
- Most cases are congenital(innate, present since birth), with weakness in one of the arteries.
- It is not possible to prevent an aneurysm, but certain lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk which includes quitting smoking, maintaining healthy blood pressure by sticking to a balanced diet, maintaining healthy body weight and avoiding high cholesterol diet.
