Aneurysm

Last revised by Ashesh Ishwarlal Ranchod on 13 Feb 2024

Aneurysms are focal abnormal dilatation of a blood vessel. They typically occur in arteries; venous aneurysms are rare. Aneurysms may also occur in the heart.

  1. true aneurysm

  2. false aneurysm (or pseudoaneurysm)

Atherosclerotic

Non-atherosclerotic

Morphologically there are two main types of aneurysms. The morphology is not specific for any cause:

  1. saccular aneurysm: eccentric, involving only a portion of the circumference of the vessel wall (e.g. cerebral berry aneurysm)

  2. fusiform aneurysm: concentric, involving the full circumference of the vessel wall

Occasionally a 3rd type, serpentine aneurysm has been classified as a separate entity 3.

  • rupture

  • distal thromboembolism

  • pressure effects

The word aneurysm traces its roots back to ancient Greek, specifically the word ἀνεύρυσμα (aneurysma), literally translating as an 'aperture'. It is itself a compound construction, derived from two roots, 'ἄνω-' (ano) meaning 'up' and 'εὐρύς-' (eurys), meaning 'wide' 4,5.

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