Larsa Pippen says she was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm three days after she shared the news on Instagram Stories — a diagnosis the Real Housewives of Miami star described as small, under control, and not requiring surgery right now. The Miami-based reality television personality, 52, shared the news along with gratitude toward the doctor who delivered her results.
“I get diagnosed with a brain aneurysm yesterday,” Pippen said, according to the Miami Herald, which reported that her aneurysm is “small,” under control and does not require surgery at this time. She also said she was sick with worry over the timing and coincidence surrounding the diagnosis, per the same report.
Pippen thanked local neurologist Dr. Steven Resnick of Mt. Sinai Medical Center, the outlet noted. The mother of four has kept a high profile around South Florida in recent months, including an appearance at the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale on January 24.
What a Brain Aneurysm Actually Is
A brain aneurysm is an outpouching of an artery in the brain that develops due to thinning of the blood vessel wall, according to the Mayo Clinic News Network. Mayo Clinic notes that the decision on whether to treat an unruptured aneurysm is highly individualized and depends on patient factors and the specifics of the aneurysm itself.
When an unruptured aneurysm is managed without surgery, periodic follow-up brain imaging typically is recommended to make sure the aneurysm is not changing, Mayo Clinic says. That guidance tracks with Pippen's own description of her condition as something being monitored rather than operated on immediately.
How Common Is This Diagnosis?
Pippen's situation touches a condition that is far from rare. The Brain Aneurysm Foundation estimates that roughly 6.8 million people in the United States have an unruptured brain aneurysm, or about 1 in 50 people. The foundation puts the annual rupture rate at approximately 8 to 10 per 100,000 people.
The foundation also reports that brain aneurysms are most prevalent among people ages 35 to 60, though they can occur in children as well, and that women are more likely than men to have one, at a reported 3-to-2 ratio. About 20% of people diagnosed with a brain aneurysm have more than one, according to the foundation's data.
A Recent Hollywood Parallel
Pippen's announcement echoes another high-profile aneurysm case from 2024. Matt Damon said his wife, Luciana Barroso, underwent surgery for a brain aneurysm just one week before that year's Academy Awards, according to ABC News. Damon said it was the first night she felt good enough to get up and had her energy back when she attended an Oscars after-party following the procedure.
The Miami Herald's report added that Barroso has since fully recovered from the surgery. Unlike Barroso's case, Pippen's reported diagnosis has not involved a surgical procedure, with her doctor instead opting for observation of the small, controlled aneurysm.
