ICD-Code Q28.20: Congenital arteriovenous cerebral aneurysm

You have a congenital defect causing a connection and widening of arteries and veins in the brain.

Arteries are blood vessels that transport blood away from the heart. They supply all the tissue in the body with oxygen-rich blood.Veins are blood vessels that transport the blood back to the heart.There are tiny blood vessels inside organs and tissues. These small blood vessels have a thin, transparent wall. Oxygen and nutrients, for example, can pass from the blood into the tissue through this wall. The oxygen-poor blood then flows back towards the heart through blood vessels that increase in size. The tiny blood vessels thus form a connection between arteries and veins.

While developing in the womb, many different types of tissue develop in the body. The organs and body parts develop out of the various types of tissue.

During your development in the womb, an abnormal connection developed between your arteries and veins. In the areas affected, the tiny blood vessels that normally establish the connection are absent. In your case, this affects the arteries and veins in your brain. In your case, the arteries and veins are also wider than normal.

Various symptoms may occur as a result of an abnormal connection between arteries and veins. This may cause headaches or ringing in the ears, for example. Seizures can also occur. When there is a connection between arteries and veins, the pressure inside the veins is also higher than normal. The elevated pressure may cause the veins to become wider over time.

If blood vessels widen, they are at risk of rupturing (tearing). When a blood vessel ruptures, the blood leaks into the surrounding tissue. This can cause headaches. There may also be difficulties with speech or certain movements.