| Headaches
associated with vascular disorders in the IHS Classification is category
6.0 (Table 1). Sudden, severe, "blinding", excruciating
headache, with stiff neck, vomiting, and altered mental status, is the
classic presentation for ruptured berry aneurysm. Subarachnoid blood is
usually found on lumbar puncture, if it is performed, and the majority
of CT scans reveal evidence of blood. Focal neurologic deficits may
occur following rupture of berry aneurysms, such as the third nerve
palsy that often follows rupture of a posterior communicating artery
aneurysm or hemiparesis following middle cerebral artery aneurysm
rupture. The syndrome of "occipital apoplexy": sudden
headache, stiff neck and a homonymous field defect is almost
pathognomonic for a ruptured occipital lobe AVM. Any patient, with sudden severe headache, with or without stiff neck or focal neurologic signs must be evaluated with the possibility of ruptured or unruptured vascular anomaly such as aneurysm or AVM. Unruptured aneurysms and AVMs may also produce headache. When the headache pattern is completely stereotyped throughout life, strong suspicion should be raised as to the possibility of an arteriovenous malformation rather than migraine with aura. Sentinel headaches are reported to occur in about 50 percent of patients days to weeks preceding subarachnoid hemorrhage from berry aneurysm. About half such headaches are reported to be abrupt in onset and severe and have been believed to be due to an initial leak due to partial rupture. |
||