Charcot-Bouchard aneurysm

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Charcot-Bouchard aneurysms are aneurysms of the brain vasculature which occur in small blood vessels (less than 300 micrometre diameter). They should not be confused with saccular aneurysms (a.k.a. berry aneurysms), which occur in larger-sized blood vessels. Charcot-Bouchard aneurysms are most often located in the brainstem. They are associated with chronic hypertension.[1]

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[edit] Presentation

As with any aneurysm, once formed they have a tendency to expand and eventually rupture, in keeping with the Law of Laplace.[2] If a Charcot-Bouchard aneurysm ruptures, it will lead to an intracerebral hemorrhage, which can cause hemorrhagic stroke, typically experienced as a sudden focal paralysis or loss of sensation. In contrast, if a saccular aneurysm ruptures, it will lead to a subarachnoid hemorrhage, typically experienced as an extremely severe headache leading to loss of consciousness. Both situations are medical emergencies, but a subarachnoid hemorrhage is more dangerous, with mortality between 25 and 50%.[3]

[edit] Eponym

Charcot-Bouchard aneurysms are named for the French physicians Jean-Martin Charcot and Charles-Joseph Bouchard.[4][5] It was Bouchard who discovered these aneurysms during his doctoral research under Charcot.

[edit] Other conditions

Other causes of intracranial hemorrhage include:

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kumar, Abbas and Fausto, eds. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 7th ed. p.1366
  2. ^ E. Goljan, Pathology, 2nd ed. Mosby Elsevier, Rapid Review Series.
  3. ^ Kumar, Abbas and Fausto, eds. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 7th ed. p.1366-67.
  4. ^ synd/28 at Who Named It
  5. ^ C. J. Bouchard. Étude sur quelques points de la pathogénie des hémorrhagies cérébrales. Paris, 1867.