Aneurysm

Where the wall of an artery or blood vessel is weakened, it may swell in a blister-like shape and form what is known as an aneurysm. As aneurysms grow, symptoms can occur as they put pressure on the surrounding tissue. Sometimes, however, no symptoms will occur. An aneurysm can rupture at any time, causing serious bleeding into the surrounding tissue and damaging the brain. This is called a haemorrhage.

Treatment for aneurysm is difficult due to problems accessing parts of the brain, but generally involves surgical clipping, where a section of skull is removed and a clip placed over the neck of the aneurysm to stop blood flowing into it, or coiling, where a series of platinum coils are threaded from the patient's lower body up into the brain aneurysm, filling it with the platinum and stopping blood flow.

Not all treatments are suitable in all cases, and the medical team will be able to advise on this.