PAEA Surgery End Of Rotation (EOR) Practice Exam

Which statement accurately describes intracerebral hemorrhage?

1. Bleeding into the cerebellum only

2. Bleeding into the brain parenchyma

3. Bleeding outside of the brain

4. Subarachnoid bleeding

The correct answer is: Bleeding into the brain parenchyma

Bleeding into the brain parenchyma is the hallmark of intracerebral hemorrhage. This type of hemorrhage occurs when there is a rupture of blood vessels within the brain tissue itself, leading to the accumulation of blood within the parenchyma. Causes often include hypertension, arteriovenous malformations, or trauma. The sudden influx of blood causes increased intracranial pressure and can damage surrounding brain tissue, leading to neurological deficits depending on the area of the brain affected. Other options describe different types of bleeding: bleeding into the cerebellum only is too restrictive in definition and does not encompass the broader definition of intracerebral hemorrhage; bleeding outside of the brain pertains to conditions like subdural or epidural hematomas; and subarachnoid bleeding specifically refers to blood in the subarachnoid space, often caused by a ruptured aneurysm, which is distinctly different from intracerebral hemorrhage.