Cerebral edema is a pathological process that is characterized by the accumulation of excess fluid in the brain tissue. This phenomenon leads to the fact that the brain increases in volume and in most cases it leads to an increase in intracranial pressure. With this pathology, the extracellular fluid does not so much accumulate as the volume of water inside the brain cells increases. For this reason, the disease is also called "brain swelling."
According to the existing classification, cerebral edema can be traumatic, tumor, postoperative, inflammatory, ischemic and toxic. Also, the occurrence and development of edema is likely due to epilepsy, with existing endocrine diseases, as well as diseases of the internal organs or blood.
Circulatory, tissue and vascular factors are involved in the development of edema. Circulators contribute to a significant increase in blood pressure in the brain. At the same time, the filtration of water into the intercellular spaces is greatly enhanced, which leads to damage to brain elements. Circulatory factors also lead to insufficient blood supply to brain tissue, its structural elements are damaged, and therefore become prone to water accumulating in them. Vascular factors are a violation of the permeability of the microvasculature of the brain. As a result of this violation, blood plasma molecules pass through the broken barrier. This not only increases the amount of intercellular fluid, but also damages the cells themselves, which, in turn, leads to impaired function of some brain elements. Tissue factors represent damage to cell membranes. This leads to the accumulation of water inside the cells and their swelling.
Cerebral edema in its prevalence can be generalized and local.
It is important to know the characteristic symptoms of this disease. As a rule, these are paroxysmal, bursting headaches. At the peak, vomiting, a change in cardiovascular activity, and a disturbance of consciousness can be observed. A very common symptom is the abnormal functioning of the optic nerves. If the swelling increases and the brain shifts to the cerebellum, symptoms may appear such as dilated pupils, the inability of a person to look up. In case of compression of the posterior part of the cerebral artery, visual impairment occurs. In addition, there is a likelihood of vestibular disorders, vomiting. In severe cases, respiratory arrest may occur.
Cerebral edema is difficult to diagnose because there are no specific symptoms. The manifestations of this disease are similar to the signs of many other diseases and pathologies. Also, the big difficulty is that in the early stages, there may not be any symptoms at all. A more accurate diagnosis can be made with additional studies, for example, the study of the fundus. With justified suspicions of edema, the patient is urgently hospitalized. Then, computed tomography is performed , and suspicions of edema are confirmed or disproved.
If cerebral edema is established, the consequences in the absence of timely treatment can be quite sad. The consequences of cerebral edema: persistent headaches, sleep failure, impaired communication skills, distraction. All these consequences are usually considered remote, and the likelihood of encountering them in the future depends mainly on the severity of the disease and the timeliness of the assistance provided. During inpatient treatment, doctors do their best to minimize all possible negative consequences.