Can vein of Galen aneurysms rupture and cause issues?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have an 8 x 12 mm sac-type aneurysm on the vein of Galen. I am 50 years old and otherwise in good health. I have had bad headaches and nausea for about seven months. It led MRV, which found the aneurysm.

I know the risks of an arterial aneurysm rupturing, but do venous ones rupture? Is it very unusual for them to do that? My family tends to have a long lifespan. Could I have another 30 or 40 years of life with this?

My BP is normal. My current medications include Meloxicam, Claritin, Nexium, and Zofran.

Please guide.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

This is a very rare anomaly. Dilatation of the entire vein is more common. Theoretically, there is a risk of rupture. But in practice, the most common complications are hydrocephalus and cardiac problems. You have not indicated whether the scan revealed hydrocephalus or not.

If there is hydrocephalus, then a CSF (cerebrospinal fluid diversionary procedure) may be needed. Otherwise, this condition does not require any treatment.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

As I have told you, a vein of Galen aneurysm can cause headaches due to hydrocephalus. Any condition that causes increased pressure inside the skull, called raised intracranial pressure, will manifest with headache and projectile vomiting.

By projectile vomiting, we mean that sort of vomiting that occurs suddenly without any nausea. If you have nausea, it mostly signifies some gastric problem.

In your case, the various drugs you are taking can themselves cause nausea. So, I would suggest that you need not worry too much about the aneurysm as long as you do not have hydrocephalus.

Please confirm that this would have been mentioned in your MRI report. If not, please share the images with me, and I will confirm whether there is hydrocephalus.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.