Charcot–Bouchard aneurysms are

aneurysms An aneurysm is an outward bulging, likened to a bubble or balloon, caused by a localized, abnormal, weak spot on a blood vessel wall. Aneurysms may be a result of a hereditary condition or an acquired disease. Aneurysms can also be a nidus ( ...

of the brain vasculature which occur in small

blood vessel The blood vessels are the components of the circulatory system that transport blood throughout the human body. These vessels transport blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues of the body. They also take waste and carbon dioxide away ...

s (less than 300

micrometre The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...

diameter). Charcot–Bouchard aneurysms are most often located in the lenticulostriate vessels of the

basal ganglia The basal ganglia (BG), or basal nuclei, are a group of subcortical nuclei, of varied origin, in the brains of vertebrates. In humans, and some primates, there are some differences, mainly in the division of the globus pallidus into an exter ...

and are associated with chronic hypertension. Charcot–Bouchard aneurysms are a common cause of cerebral hemorrhage.

Retina The retina (from la, rete "net") is the innermost, light-sensitive layer of tissue of the eye of most vertebrates and some molluscs. The optics of the eye create a focused two-dimensional image of the visual world on the retina, which then ...

l microaneurysms are seen in conditions like

diabetic retinopathy Diabetic retinopathy (also known as diabetic eye disease), is a medical condition in which damage occurs to the retina due to diabetes mellitus. It is a leading cause of blindness in developed countries. Diabetic retinopathy affects up to 80 perc ...

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...

related retinal microangiopathy,

sickle cell retinopathy A sickle, bagging hook, reaping-hook or grasshook is a single-handed agricultural tool designed with variously curved blades and typically used for harvesting, or reaping, grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock ...

, idiopathic macular telangiectasia etc. In diabetic retinopathy, due to breakdown in blood–retinal barrier, microaneurysms may leak plasma constituents into the retina, or it may thrombose.

Signs and symptoms

If a Charcot–Bouchard aneurysm ruptures, it will lead to an intracerebral hemorrhage, which can cause hemorrhagic stroke, typically experienced as a sudden focal paralysis or loss of sensation.

Pathophysiology

Charcot–Bouchard aneurysms are

in the small penetrating

s of the brain. They are associated with hypertension. The common artery involved is the lenticulostriate branch of the

middle cerebral artery The middle cerebral artery (MCA) is one of the three major paired cerebral arteries that supply blood to the cerebrum. The MCA arises from the internal carotid artery and continues into the lateral sulcus where it then branches and projects to ma ...

. Common locations of hypertensive

hemorrhage Bleeding, hemorrhage, haemorrhage or blood loss, is blood escaping from the circulatory system from damaged blood vessels. Bleeding can occur internally, or externally either through a natural opening such as the mouth, nose, ear, urethra, v ...

s include the

putamen The putamen (; from Latin, meaning "nutshell") is a round structure located at the base of the forebrain (telencephalon). The putamen and caudate nucleus together form the dorsal striatum. It is also one of the structures that compose the basal ...

, caudate,

thalamus The thalamus (from Greek θάλαμος, "chamber") is a large mass of gray matter located in the dorsal part of the diencephalon (a division of the forebrain). Nerve fibers project out of the thalamus to the cerebral cortex in all directions, ...

pons The pons (from Latin , "bridge") is part of the brainstem that in humans and other bipeds lies inferior to the midbrain, superior to the medulla oblongata and anterior to the cerebellum. The pons is also called the pons Varolii ("bridge of Va ...

, and cerebellum. As with any aneurysm, once formed they have a tendency to expand and eventually rupture, in keeping with the Law of Laplace.Nussbaum ES, Erickson DL. The fate of intracranial microaneurysms treated with bipolar electrocoagulation and parent vessel reinforcement.

Neurosurgery Neurosurgery or neurological surgery, known in common parlance as brain surgery, is the medical specialty concerned with the surgical treatment of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord and pe ...

. . 1999;45(5):1172-4; discussion 1174-5.

Diagnosis

Usually not detected by CT angiography.

l microaneurysms can be diagnosed using

ophthalmoscopy Ophthalmoscopy, also called funduscopy, is a test that allows a health professional to see inside the fundus of the eye and other structures using an ophthalmoscope (or funduscope). It is done as part of an eye examination and may be done as part ...

fundus photography Fundus photography involves photographing the rear of an eye, also known as the fundus. Specialized fundus cameras consisting of an intricate microscope attached to a flash enabled camera are used in fundus photography. The main structures that ...

, FFA, and OCT.

History

Charcot–Bouchard aneurysms are named for the French physicians Jean-Martin Charcot and Charles-Joseph Bouchard. Bouchard discovered these aneurysms during his doctoral research under Charcot.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Charcot-Bouchard aneurysm Gross pathology Cerebrovascular diseases

Signs and symptoms

Pathophysiology

Diagnosis

History

See also

References