Lobar intracerebral hemorrhage

Alternative names:

hemorrhage - intracerebral (lobar); hemorrhage - intraparenchymal

Definition:

A condition where there is bleeding within a localized, superficial area of the brain (cerebrum).

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Lobar intracerebral hemorrhage occurs when there is bleeding in the superficial (surface) white matter of the cerebrum (part of the brain).

Lobar intracerebral hemorrhage may be caused by trauma (brain injury) or abnormalities of the blood vessels, such as aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation (AVM), or angioma (tumors involving blood vessels). In some cases, no cause can be found. The disorder is likely to be associated with amyloid deposits in the blood vessels (amyloid angiopathy).

Blood irritates the tissues of the brain and may cause swelling (cerebral edema). Blood collects into a mass (hematoma). Both cerebral edema and the presence of a hematoma within the brain will put increasing pressure on the tissues of the brain and destroy those tissues. Blood may collect in the subarachnoid space and irritate the membranes covering the brain (meningeal irritation). Symptoms will vary depending on the extent of damage and the location of the bleed.

Risks for lobar intracerebral hemorrhage, in addition to the causative disorders, include various blood/bleeding disorders (disseminated intravascular coagulation; hemophilia; sickle cell anemia; leukemia; decreased levels of blood platelets) use of aspirin or anticoagulant medications ("blood thinners"); liver disease (which is associated with increased bleeding risk); and cerebral amyloid, infection, and autoimmune disorders.