Aneurysms

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Overview

An aneurysm is an abnormal bulge or ballooning in the wall of a blood vessel. An aneurysm can burst. This is called a rupture. A ruptured aneurysm causes bleeding inside the body and often leads to death. Some aneurysms may not cause symptoms. You might not know you have an aneurysm even if it is large.

Aneurysms can develop in several parts of the body, including:

Some small aneurysms have a low risk of rupture. To determine the risk of an aneurysm rupture, a health care provider considers:

  • Your symptoms.
  • Your medical history.
  • Your family's medical history.
  • The size, shape and location of the aneurysm.

Treatment of some aneurysms may only involve regular health checkups and imaging tests. If an aneurysm breaks open, emergency open surgery is needed. Sometimes a less-invasive treatment called endovascular surgery may be done.

Mayo Clinic Minute: What is an aneurysm?

Vivien Williams: An aneurysm is an abnormal bulge or ballooning in the wall of a blood vessel.

Bernard Bendok, M.D., Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic: A portion of these patients will go on to have a rupture. And the challenge with rupture is that it's unpredictable.

Vivien Williams: Dr. Bernard Bendok says a ruptured aneurysm is a medical emergency that can cause life-threatening bleeding in the brain.

Dr. Bendok: The typical presentation is somebody who has the worst headache of their life.

Vivien Williams: Fast treatment is essential. It includes open surgery or less-invasive options, such as sealing the ruptured artery from within the blood vessel with metal coils and/or stents.

Dr. Bendok says 1 to 2 percent of the population have aneurysms and only a small percentage of that group will experience a rupture. People who have a family history of aneurysms, have polycystic kidney disease, connective tissue disease, and people who smoke are at increased risk of rupture and should consider screening. If a rupture happens, fast treatment can save lives.

For the Mayo Clinic News Network, I'm Vivien Williams.

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Aneurysms care at Mayo Clinic

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April 20, 2023
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  1. Goldman L, et al., eds. Diseases of the aorta. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Feb. 28, 2023.
  2. AskMayoExpert. Abdominal aortic aneurysm. Mayo Clinic; 2021.
  3. Libby P, et al., eds. Diseases of the aorta. In: Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Feb. 28, 2023.
  4. Reed AB. Popliteal artery aneurysm. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Feb. 28, 2023.
  5. Kirkwood ML. Iliac artery aneurysm. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Feb. 28, 2023.
  6. AskMayoExpert. Unruptured intracranial aneurysm. Mayo Clinic; 2022.
  7. Office of Patient Education. Unruptured brain aneurysms. Mayo Clinic; 2021.
  8. Dalman RL, et al. Overview of abdominal aortic aneurysm. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Feb. 28, 2023.

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Aneurysms