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.