aneurysm
n. countablen. a dangerous swelling or bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. If it breaks, it can cause serious bleeding inside the body.
n. a localized, blood-filled dilation of a blood vessel caused by disease or weakening of the vessel wall. Often asymptomatic until rupture, which typically results in severe internal hemorrhaging.
The doctor found a small aneurysm during the brain scan.
Doctors monitored the patient's aortic aneurysm for years to ensure it did not grow large enough to require surgery.
While some aneurysms are congenital, others develop over time due to chronic hypertension or atherosclerosis, which gradually compromise the structural integrity of the arterial media.
Often paired with the name of the affected vessel, such as 'aortic' or 'cerebral'.