A type of brain haemorrhage in which a blood vessel ruptures into the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It usually occurs spontaneously but may follow unaccustomed exercise. It is most common in people between 35 and 60. The most common cause is a burst aneurysm (see berry aneurysm).An attack may cause loss of consciousness, sometimes preceded by a sudden violent headache. If the person remains conscious, symptoms such as photophobia, nausea, drowsiness, and stiffness of the neck may develop. Even unconscious patients may recover, but further attacks are common and often fatal.
Diagnosis is by CT scanning and angiography.
Treatment includes life-support procedures and control of blood pressure to prevent recurrence.
Burst or leaking aneurysms are usually treated by surgery.
About half of those people affected survive, some recover completely, others have residual disability such as paralysis.
A haemorrhage into the subarachnoid space in the BRAIN. It is usually the result of rupture of an ANEURYSM on the CIRCLE OF WILLIS. Head injury or intense physical exercise occasionally cause subarachnoid haemorrhage; the diagnosis is con?rmed by CT scan or by identifying blood in the CEREBROSPINAL FLUID at LUMBAR PUNCTURE. Cerebral ANGIOGRAPHY will usually pinpoint the site of bleeding. Treatment is bed rest, life-support measures and procedures to reduce blood pressure; sometimes surgery is carried out but not usually until several weeks after the acute episode. About 30 per cent of patients recover fully, whilst some have residual disabilities such as EPILEPSY, mental deterioration or paralysis. About 50 per cent of those affected die.
sudden bleeding into the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain, which causes severe headache with stiffness of the neck. The usual source of such a haemorrhage is a cerebral *aneurysm that has burst. The diagnosis is confirmed by CT scan or by finding blood-stained cerebrospinal fluid at *lumbar puncture. Identification of the site of the aneurysm, upon which decisions about treatment will be based, is achieved by cerebral *angiography.
Bleeding within or around the brain that is caused either by injury or by spontaneous rupture of a blood vessel. There are 4 possible types of brain haemorrhage: subdural, extradural, subarachnoid, and intracerebral. Extradural and subdural haemorrhages are usually the result of a blow to the head (see head injury). Subarachnoid and intracerebral haemorrhages usually occur spontaneously due to rupture of aneurysms or small blood vessels in the brain.... brain haemorrhage
Bleeding into the vitreous humour. A common cause is diabetic retinopathy. Vitreous haemorrhage often affects vision; a major haemorrhage causes poor vision until the blood is reabsorbed, which may not be for several months, if at all.... vitreous haemorrhage
(PVH) a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in infants who are born prematurely in which bleeding occurs from fragile blood vessels around the *ventricles in the brain. Bleeding extending into the lateral ventricles is termed intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and in severe cases can extend into the brain tissue (cerebral parenchyma). Surviving infants may have long-term neurological deficits, such as cerebral palsy, developmental delay, or seizures.... periventricular haemorrhage
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