The brain is one of the most important human organs, which is entrusted not only with the function of thinking, but also with many regulatory processes in the body. Blood supply to the brain affects its functioning, however, in some cases vascular rupture can occur, which inevitably leads to numerous disturbances in the functioning of all body systems. A brain hemorrhage, the symptoms of which will be discussed in detail in this article, is considered one of the most dangerous phenomena for human life. In order to eliminate its consequences, doctors and patients have to make a lot of effort. The key point in this is the early detection of symptoms and signs suggesting that the brain, a photo of which many have probably seen, undergoes pathological changes in connection with circulatory disorders.
For what reasons can a brain hemorrhage occur?
The most common cause of rupture of the blood vessels of the brain is arterial hypertension. As a rule, the severe course of this disease causes irreversible changes in all the vessels in the body, but it is precisely those of them that nourish the brain tissues that are most affected. Cerebral hemorrhage, the symptoms of which cannot always be quickly recognized, also occurs in a number of other cases, which include:
- rupture of previously diagnosed cerebral aneurysms;
- vascular abnormalities, such as arteriovenous malformations;
- deposition on the walls of blood vessels of an atypical amyloid protein;
- malignant and benign brain tumors;
- regular intake of blood thinners.
These phenomena, which can cause vascular rupture in the human brain, are most common in older patients. By the nature of the changes and localization of the affected areas of the brain, which are clearly visible in the images obtained by diagnosis (MRI of the brain), specialists can find out the cause of the hemorrhage.
Hemorrhage in newborns - does it happen?
If we talk about cerebral hemorrhage, an adult or even an elderly patient is often presented. However, in some cases, this phenomenon can be observed in newborns. A feature of brain hemorrhage in infants is that several areas can be damaged at once, for example, the lateral ventricle of the brain and its cortex, or the subcortical and gray matter simultaneously. The main cause of hemorrhage in a child is considered prematurity, especially if the fetus was less than 32 weeks old at the time of birth. In addition, rupture of blood vessels can occur in the first week after birth in full-term babies. The reason for this phenomenon lies in the late toxicosis of the mother, errors in the management of childbirth and infection.
Classification of cerebral hemorrhages by location
The World Health Organization (WHO) today allocates 5 types of cerebral hemorrhages:
- Intracerebral, or intracerebral hemorrhage, when bursting vessels are located in the deep layers of white or gray matter, and blood is poured into the thickness of the brain.
- Subarachnoid, in which ruptured vessels are affected by aneurysm or amyloidosis, the blood enters the cavity, which is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
- Ventricular or ventricular hemorrhage affecting the lateral ventricle of the brain.
- Epidural, in which spilled blood enters the space between the cranium and the brain.
- Subdural, in which blood spreads under the dura mater of the brain.
To help specialists find out which part of the organ has undergone changes in a phenomenon such as cerebral hemorrhage, the symptoms of each of which have their own characteristics, tomography and other diagnostic methods can.
What external signs can indicate a brain hemorrhage
For all types of hemorrhages, the following signs and symptoms are characteristic, which appear in the first minutes after rupture of blood vessels:
- intense headache;
- loss or confusion of consciousness;
- nausea and vomiting;
- convulsive contractions of some muscles.
One or more of the symptoms that appear on this list should alert the patient and his relatives, especially when a person has diseases from the list of those that can provoke a hemorrhage in the brain. Symptoms, as a rule, tend to intensify, so it makes no sense to wait for the relief of the patient's condition, but it is better to immediately call an ambulance.
Symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage in children
The main symptoms of cerebral hemorrhages in newborns do not differ from those present in adult patients. However, there are a number of signs by which it can be understood that a child has a rupture of blood vessels in the brain. Often this is manifested in the inability of the child to make sucking movements, redness of the sclera of the eyes due to the blood that got into them, and also inhibition of the tendon reflex. In the absence of obvious signs of cerebral hemorrhage, the pathology can manifest itself in a later period in the form of unusually strong skull growth in a child.
Symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage depending on their location
Localization of a hematoma in the brain also affects symptoms. So, with hemorrhage into the deep sections, the patient may experience symptoms such as disturbance or respiratory arrest, a steady turn of the eyeballs in one direction, a lack of pupil response to light, a decrease in body temperature, malfunction of the heart rhythm, paralysis of the muscles of the limbs of one half of the body. Quite often, a condition appears that is typical for such a thing as a brain hemorrhage - a coma in which the patient has no reaction to pain stimuli.
When blood enters the gray and / or white matter of the brain, the patient's condition can be expressed by a lack of spatial orientation and inability to coordinate their movements, muscle weakness, excessive excitement or lethargy, and reflex disorders. Cerebral hemorrhage, as a rule, causes severe occipital pain, loss of consciousness, deviation of the head from a normal position back or to the side, and inability to coordinate movements.
In addition to the above symptoms, a patient with cerebral hemorrhage may manifest signs such as facial deformity due to facial paralysis, inability to smile, and lack of intelligible speech. When these signs appear, it is important to give a person first aid as soon as possible and deliver him to the hospital for an MRI of the brain, with which you can determine the degree of vascular damage and determine the appropriate treatment.
What is dangerous hemorrhage in the brain
The danger that cerebral hemorrhages carry in themselves is that due to rupture of blood vessels, nutrients and oxygen cease to flow to the tissues of the body. In addition, the brain is exposed to accumulated blood, which squeezes its parts. This is in most cases the cause of irreversible consequences that turn life after a stroke into a patient’s struggle with himself, since many body functions, including mental, neurological and others, are violated. And the longer the patient is without appropriate treatment, the less likely he is to recover as much as possible.
Brain Hemorrhage Treatment
Today, there are only two ways to cure brain hemorrhage. Treatment, or rather, its method (surgical or therapeutic), is selected based on where the hematoma is located in the organ, as well as its size. Indications for surgery are:
- a large (more than 50 ml) volume of blood entering the brain tissue;
- hemorrhage localized inside the brain or in the lateral ventricle;
- severe condition of the patient.
The advisability of the operation is determined only by the attending physician!
Today, there are several types of surgical operations that allow you to remove a blood clot from the brain:
- Craniotomy performed under general anesthesia. It is used for extensive intracerebral hemorrhage. A prerequisite for this type of surgical intervention is the absence of serious diseases of the internal organs of the patient.
- Minimally invasive surgery, the essence of which is that during its conduct in the patient’s skull at the site of clot localization, only one hole is inserted through which a special solution is introduced using a catheter to facilitate the dissolution of the blood clot. Extraction of its fragments is also carried out through this hole. The duration of the procedure is about 2 days, during which new portions of the solution must be infused every 6 hours.
- Stereotactic removal of the hematoma is carried out using a special device, with which a solution for dissolving thickened blood is delivered directly to the lesion.
Consequences and forecast
Hemorrhage does not affect the brain in the best way. Photos of people who have had this disease can cause tears. But much worse is that only about 50% of patients can survive a rupture of blood vessels. The consequences of a brain hemorrhage depend on how big the hematoma was and how quickly the patient was treated. Life after a stroke rarely remains the same as before it. A large number of patients have impaired speech and vision, and there is no sensitivity in the arms or legs. One of the most serious complications of cerebral hemorrhage is considered to be epilepsy.