clinical features

Last reviewed 01/2018

There are three main presentations of Berry aneurysms:

  • 90% present with a subarachnoid haemorrhage

  • 7% present with symptoms of a space-occupying lesion:

    • internal carotid artery or anterior communicating artery aneurysms may compress:
      • pituitary stalk or hypothalamus causing hypopituitarism
      • the optic nerve or chiasm producing visual field defects

    • basilar artery aneurysm may compress the midbrain or pons to produce limb weakness or impaired eye movements

    • posterior communicating artery aneurysm may cause a III nerve palsy

    • intracavernous aneurysms may compress the III, IV, VI, trigeminal division of V and trigeminal ganglion to produce ophthalmoplegia and facial pain

  • 3% occur as incidental findings at autopsy