April 26, 2010 / 1257 readsDoctors plan further testing to help pinpoint the source of the brain hemorrhage that is keeping Bret Michaels in intensive care, according to bretmichaels.com.
Dr. Keith Siller of New York University's Comprehensive Stroke Care Center tells PEOPLE.com that "Typically caused when a previously undetected aneurysm, or enlarged artery in the brain, ruptures suddenly, a subarachnoid hemorrhage - which refers to the area of the brain where the bleeding occurs - "can happen to anybody at anytime, and that's why it's scary"
"Neither Michaels's history of diabetes nor his recent appendectomy would be considered triggers for this type of brain hemorrhage, says Dr. Siller. Likewise, his onstage injury at the Tony Awards last year - in which Michaels was hit with an errant piece of scenery - could not have caused a hemorrhage nearly 11 months later." He adds.
"If you don't see the aneurysm, you're kind of stuck. You have to just repeat the angiogram and see whether some blood becomes visible. In some patients, doctors never find the source. The bleeding could be very small, or the rupture itself can 'cure' the source of the problem. If no source of an aneurysm or an abnormal vein-artery connection known as an AVM is found, you basically just wait for the symptoms to go away. The patient typically remains under close observation, as Michaels is, so doctors can monitor for possible complications" says Dr. Siller
"The better condition you are when you get to the hospital - in other words, if you're awake, talking - if you're conscious, those people have a very good prognosis that they can come out of this okay, noting that physical therapy and speech therapy are often required to make a full recovery."
