Cerebral aneurysms and the 'missed' hemorrhage.
Eleven patients are described in whom a warning subarachnoid hemorrhage, preceding severe or fatal rupture of an intracranial aneurysm, was misdiagnosed; a 12th had a successful outcome from surgery after a single hemorrhage. Erroneous labels included meningitis, migraine, hysteria, tension, and head and neck injury. The vital importance of diagnosing an aneurysm before a major rupture occurs is emphasised. Apart from the 'warning leak', other signs may be due to the location or expansion of an aneurysm, which should alert doctors to the diagnosis.
Dorsch
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D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*