21. Cerebral apoplexy

Organ: Brain

Description:

We can see a well-circumscribed brownish area next to the area of the basal ganglia

Diagnosis: Cerebral apoplexy / Intracranial haemorrhagic stroke

Causes:

Hypertension with atherosclerosis

Theory:

An apoplexy is a fast-developing type of haematoma that causes local destruction of tissue.

Atherosclerosis damages the vessels, and the hypertension causes them to rupture, causing an intraparenchymal bleeding. In case of the brain does it usually affect the region of the basal ganglia and internal capsule.

Because the internal capsule is commonly affected, cerebral apoplexy has a poor prognosis, possibly resulting in death in 70% of cases.