A man with vascular malformations of the brain at the Việt Nam – Germany Friendship Hospital. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

HÀ NỘI — The ratio of the Vietnamese population with vascular malformations of the brain is estimated to be between five and ten per cent.

But many people who suffer from the condition do not seek treatment when they feel sudden, severe headaches, according to Associate Professor Đồng Văn Hệ, deputy director of Việt Nam – Germany Friendship Hospital.

Often they wait until the very last moment before seeking medical advice and sometimes this can be too late.

According to Hệ, vascular malformations of the brain have many forms, including cerebral aneurysm and cavernous hemangiomas.

A cerebral aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on the artery in the brain that balloons or bulges out and fills with blood. Cavernous hemangioma, also called cavernous angioma, cavernoma, or cerebral cavernoma is a type of benign vascular tumour or hemangioma, where a collection of dilated blood vessels forms a lesion.

He said people with this condition face a number of health problems such as rupture of blood vessels, leading to a stroke due to brain hemorrhage or causing pressure on the brain then resulting in convulsions.

Hệ advised people to go to the hospital for a check-up if they had symptoms of a sudden severe headache, hemiplegia or convulsions.

Adults who went into convulsions for the first time must go to the hospital immediately to take a screening in order to find out the causes and prevent the rupture of blood vessels, he said.

Hệ said, currently, a 58-year-old man, of Thái Bình Province, has been treated for a cerebral aneurysm in Việt Nam – Germany Friendship Hospital. The patient was hospitalised when he was in a coma with high blood pressure.

Results of CT scan showed that the patient had a ruptured cerebral aneurysm (malformations in the blood vessels that feed the brain) that could cause cerebral hemorrhage.

Văn Đức Hạnh, a doctor of the hospital’s Neurosurgery Department No 1 said the patient was a smoker and heavy drinker.

After receiving the patient, doctors of the hospital indicated an emergency surgery. The patient was awake and in stable conditions after the surgery, he said.

Hạnh said there were many cases like this man who had a cerebral aneurysm but did not know about it. They only realised after going to the emergency room due to a ruptured cerebral aneurysm.

Another patient N.Đ.H, 24, of Tân Yên District, the northern province of Bắc Giang has also recently been taken to the hospital after slipping into a coma. He was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and cerebral aneurysm.

The patient’s health improved after doctors conducted surgery.

Causes and prevention

Hệ said causes of vascular malformations of the brain were not clear and currently unidentified. Most people were born with it, but sometimes it could develop due to an unhealthy lifestyle.

Of which, cavernous hemangiomas were mostly congenital not inherited. They also formed during pregnancy, he said.

The hospital had received many children with cavernous hemangiomas, he said.

For cerebral aneurysm, people should control blood pressure, not smoke, reduce alcohol and control their weight to prevent it, he said.

People were also advised to regularly do exercise, especially running and walking, which were very good for their heart and reduce the risk, he said.

In a related move, the hospital will organise a free examination and consultation at 7:30 am on Saturday to help people better understand and prevent and monitor vascular malformations of the brain.

The examination and consultation will be taken place in Clinic No. 9 and Clinic No. 11, 2nd floor, Building C4 in the hospital, located at No 40 Tràng Thi Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội.

People could contact the Customer Service Centre on 19001902 to book a free consultation and examination schedule. — VNS