Presentation
The presentation does, however, vary with the type of malformation, and different types present at different ages: neonate usually choroidal type high output cardiac failure cranial bruit infant usually mural type hydrocephalus may occur due to venous [radiopaedia.org]
Most patients with arteriovenous malformations present initially with seizures, intracranial haemorrhage, or hydrocephalus. [austinpublishinggroup.com]
A case of spontaneous delivery at 36 weeks of gestation by a 30-year-old woman presenting with a fetal aneurysm of the vein of Galen is described. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
In the infant presentation group of 35 babies, embolisation was performed in 26 with 22 having a good neurological outcome. Twelve children presented later, nine requiring embolisation and six of these having a normal course. [jnnp.bmj.com]
Entire Body System
- Congestive Heart Failure
Abstract Two children presented with congestive heart failure in the neonatal period due to malformations of the vein of Galen. Transtorcular coil embolisation produced rapid relief of heart failure. [internationaljournalofcardiology.com]
Although the pregnancy continued uneventfully, the fetus died of congestive heart failure on the 3rd day postpartum. The value of antenatal sonography and magnetic resonance imaging in the prediction of prognosis is discussed. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
They have significant arteriovenous shunting and present as congestive heart failure in neonates. Prenatal diagnosis is possible. They have the poorest prognosis and are usually fatal without treatment. [indianpediatrics.net]
All the investigations and clinical work up was done at University of Iowa hospitals and clinics, Iowa, USA Case History A newborn male was referred for evaluation of congestive heart failure. [ispub.com]
Most often these patients are newborns with congestive heart failure due to arterial-venous shunting of blood in the brain. [brainavm.uhnres.utoronto.ca]
- Disability
Three months later, the weakness had resolved and he had no further motor or other disability, but the memory disturbance had not resolved. [nejm.org]
The potential complications of VOGM can include stroke and permanent disability The condition can be diagnosed prenatally. [dovemed.com]
In 57/87 cases parents opted for termination of pregnancy, in 6/87 cases an intrauterine fetal death and in 3/87 cases a neonatal death occurred. 7/87 survived mentally disabled. Four of five children with arachnoid cysts showed good mental outcome. [umbjournal.org]
The risk of treatment varies but may be as high as 10% for permanent disabling stroke or death. [brainavm.uhnres.utoronto.ca]
Intravascular embolization is the treatment of choice in adults, but carries a 3% risk with each procedure the risk of permanent neurological disability or death. [journals.lww.com]
- Swelling
A 10-year-old boy presented with pro-gressively increasing soft, bluish, compressible facial swelling over the nasal bridge and adjoining areas of the face since the age of one year. [indianpediatrics.net]
Pagina 234 - A Treatise on the Theory and Management of Ulcers, with a dissertation on white swellings of the joints, to which is prefixed an Essay on the Chirurgical Treatment of Inflammation and its Consequences, the Second Edition, corrected. [books.google.it]
Distinctive neck swelling in a patient with a vein of Galen arteriovenous malformation. J Ultrasound. 2015;18:197-200. Lasjaunias P, Rodesch G, Terbrugge K, Pruvost P, Devictor D, Comoy J, et al. [medigraphic.com]
The child will be nursed on a bed raised at an angle to reduce swelling following the procedure. Risks With any procedure there are risks. The risks associated with the embolisation increase if a child is very sick or very small. [gosh.nhs.uk]
Results: Clinical presentation was variable including hydrocephalus, headaches, heart failure, coma, epilepsy, and even left orbital swelling. [karger.com]
- Weakness
The patient had motor weakness of the left leg and short-term memory loss. Three months later, the weakness had resolved and he had no further motor or other disability, but the memory disturbance had not resolved. [nejm.org]
The neurological examination revealed a total absence of interaction with either the environment or the examiner, failure to emit sounds, severe axial hypotonia, muscle weakness, signs of spasticity as well as pyramidal signs. [austinpublishinggroup.com]
A 25-year-old male with no past medical history presented with sudden onset of headache, vomiting and right-sided weakness while watching television. His vital signs were normal and stable on arrival to the emergency department. [medcraveonline.com]
Case Reports Case 1 A 5-year-old boy presented with 16-month history of recurrent afebrile generalized tonic-clonic seizures, right sided weakness, slurred speech, and poor school performance. [wajradiology.org]
Affected individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 caused by mutations in NF1 (MIM: 162200) can also show arteriovenous fistulae after rupture of weak vessel walls. [doi.org]
Respiratoric
- Pleural Effusion
Other features may include, tricuspid insufficiency, polyhydramnios, pericardial or pleural effusion, edema and ascites. [fetalultrasound.com]
The cardiothoracic ratio increased in three cases, one case showed pleural effusion, one case demonstrated peritoneal effusion, three cases showed tricuspid regurgitation, and three cases presented an abnormal umbilical artery spectrum. [bmcmedimaging.biomedcentral.com]
No evidence of fetal skin edema, pericardial effusion, pleural effusion or ascites to suggest hydrops fetalis which is the most severe complication of this condition. [healthjade.net]
There was no pleural effusion or tachycardia. Hepatomegaly without ascites was noted, and there wasn’t any change in brain ventricular morphology. [degruyter.com]
Cardiovascular
- Heart Failure
Abstract Two children presented with congestive heart failure in the neonatal period due to malformations of the vein of Galen. Transtorcular coil embolisation produced rapid relief of heart failure. [internationaljournalofcardiology.com]
A 2-year-old boy with mild heart failure (Patient 4). Transvenous partial coil embolisation through the falcine sinus resulted in marked improvement of the heart failure. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Neonates typically present with severe congestive heart failure. Here we present a case in which a systolic heart murmur was the first manifestation of high output heart failure due to a VGAM. [elsevier.es]
- Hypertension
We report a full- term female newborn presented with intractable heart failure, pulmonary artery hypertension, and respiratory distress soon after birth, in whom persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn was suspected initially. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Hydrocephalus may occur due to venous hypertension or aqueduct stenosis. Cerebral ischaemia occurs due to venous hypertension or a steal phenomenon. Ideally embolisation is deferred until 6 months of age, to allow the cavernous sinus to mature. [radpod.org]
Pulmonary hypertension has not been a prominent symptom in infants, although one case of prominent and ultimately fatal pulmonary hypertension has been reported in a 2-month-old child. 29 PROGNOSIS The prognosis of treated or untreated VGAM has been notably [nature.com]
Further angiography confirmed a vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (VGAM) with chronic venous hypertension (Figure 2). The patient’s mother gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. [austinpublishinggroup.com]
- Thrombosis
Recurrent cerebral venous thrombosis involving the fistula is hypothesized as the cause of repeated inflammatory reactions near the subarachnoid space. More extensive thrombosis may then have precipitated the hemorrhage. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Keywords Public Health Venous Thrombosis Drain System Preoperative Evaluation Venous Drainage These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. [link.springer.com]
- Cardiomegaly
The severity of cardiomegaly and cardiac decompensation depends on the size and complexity of the vein of Galen aneurysm. [thefetus.net]
Also, if cardiomegaly is discovered, with no other obvious underlying cause, suspicion of this anomaly should exist. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Neurologic
- Headache
The child developed normally over the next six years, but then a sudden headache occurred, followed quickly by coma. CT revealed an intraventricular hemorrhage from the malformation and evidence of hydrocephalus. [nejm.org]
A neonate or a child may present with cardiac failure, macrocephaly, headache, focal neurological signs or subarachnoid haemorrhage. [austinpublishinggroup.com]
Other features may include increased head circumference resulting from hydrocephalus, unusually prominent veins on the face and scalp, developmental delay, persistent headache, and other neurological findings. [1] [2] [3] Vein of Galen aneurysm is often [rarediseases.info.nih.gov]
The initial symptom typically falls into one of four categories: intracranial hemorrhage, seizure, headache and focal neurologic problems. Children are more likely to present with hemorrhage than adults. [childrenshospital.vanderbilt.org]
Sometimes they can cause seizures or headaches. AVMs are rare. The cause is not known, but they seem to develop during pregnancy or soon after birth. Doctors use imaging tests to detect them. Medicines can help with the symptoms from AVMs. [icdlist.com]
- Stroke
Austin J Cerebrovasc Dis & Stroke. 2014;1(2): 1006. [austinpublishinggroup.com]
Govaert and Jeroen Dudink, Neonatal Stroke: Mechanisms, Neonatology, 10.1007/978-3-319-29489-6_279, (2225-2249), (2018). [doi.org]
VOGMs are treated at the UCSF Pediatric Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease Center, staffed by the world's leading experts in stroke and cerebrovascular disease among children. [ucsfbenioffchildrens.org]
A brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a congenital blood vessel abnormality that occurs in about 0.1 percent of the population and accounts for one to two percent of all strokes. [childrenshospital.vanderbilt.org]
These children may develop seizures or fits and may develop symptoms of a stroke. [veinofgalen.wordpress.com]
Workup
Hypertrophy
- Ventricular Hypertrophy
The electrocardiographic chart showed voltage criteria in keeping with left ventricular hypertrophy [Figure 4]. The parents of this child also received counseling and the child is being followed up with conservative management. [wajradiology.org]
[…] septal defects and atrioventricular canal defects.6,7 In our patient, we identified right ventricular hypertrophy and dilatation of Pulmonary artery secondary to high venous return from the brain. [jpma.org.pk]
Pleura
- Pleural Effusion
Other features may include, tricuspid insufficiency, polyhydramnios, pericardial or pleural effusion, edema and ascites. [fetalultrasound.com]
The cardiothoracic ratio increased in three cases, one case showed pleural effusion, one case demonstrated peritoneal effusion, three cases showed tricuspid regurgitation, and three cases presented an abnormal umbilical artery spectrum. [bmcmedimaging.biomedcentral.com]
No evidence of fetal skin edema, pericardial effusion, pleural effusion or ascites to suggest hydrops fetalis which is the most severe complication of this condition. [healthjade.net]
There was no pleural effusion or tachycardia. Hepatomegaly without ascites was noted, and there wasn’t any change in brain ventricular morphology. [degruyter.com]
Treatment
Surgery is not indicated as a treatment for VGAM, except in very rare cases. Patients undergoing VGAM treatment should have regular programmed clinical and morphological examinations. [orpha.net]
Figure 4 summarizes this treatment algorithm. Figure 4 Treatment algorithm Cardiology assessment of cardiac function and superior vena cava flow should proceed right away. [surgicalneurologyint.com]
Therapeutic options available for a VGAM include no treatment, open surgery, endovascular treatment, and stereotactic radiosurgery. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
TREATMENT AND OUTCOME IN VGAMS Ideally the initial treatment of VGAM is conservative. [jnnp.bmj.com]
In 79 patients (22.2%), there was no treatment or no details of treatment were available. There was an overall series mortality of 55.6% (no details were available in 33 cases) and a 37.4% mortality for surgically treated cases. [doi.org]
Prognosis
Prognosis The neurological prognosis for VGAM with early treatment is excellent; however, the prognosis is poorer for patients with severe neonatal malformations. The documents contained in this web site are presented for information purposes only. [orpha.net]
Treatment and prognosis Prior to endovascular intervention, the prognosis was dismal, with 100% mortality without treatment and 90% mortality following surgical attempts 5. [radiopaedia.org]
The value of antenatal sonography and magnetic resonance imaging in the prediction of prognosis is discussed. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
The prognosis of the disease has been notably dark, with death rates reaching 100% in the past. [nature.com]
If there is hydrops fetalis at the time of diagnosis then the prognosis is poor. Recurrence risk: No increased risk of recurrence. [fetalmedicine.org]
Etiology
Clinical and laboratory findings are described in the case of a patient with a vein of Galen aneurysm who presented with recurrent aseptic meningitis for which no etiology could be identified. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Arachnoid cysts have to be excluded from this appraisal as their impact on fetal/neonatal outcome in this series was less severe than in intracranial cysts with different etiologies. [umbjournal.org]
It develops in a fetus in the first trimester of pregnancy due to unknown reasons, but it is likely to have a genetic etiology. The prognosis of VGA is usually poor, particularly in newborns with heart failure due to high-flow intracerebral shunt. [ijn.mums.ac.ir]
(Etiology) The exact cause of Vein of Galen Malformation is not known. It is believed that genetic changes in the developing fetus in the first trimester can lead to this abnormality. [dovemed.com]
Lately most authors consider that the Sylvian aqueduct obstruction itself doesn’t have such an important role in etiology of hydrocephalus, as it is the case an impaired cerebrospinal fluid resorption – resorptive block [5,9]. [degruyter.com]
Epidemiology
Summary Epidemiology The lesion is rare, with less than 800 cases (representing less than 10% of all cerebral arteriovenous malformations) reported so far. Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (VGAM) is more frequent in males than in females. [orpha.net]
Journal Journal ID (nlm-ta): Pan Afr Med J Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Pan Afr Med J Journal ID (publisher-id): PAMJ Title: The Pan African Medical Journal Publisher: The African Field Epidemiology Network ISSN (Electronic): 1937-8688 Publication date (Electronic [scienceopen.com]
Vein of Galen Malformations: Epidemiology, Clinical Presentations, Management. Neurosur Clin North America, 2012;23 (1):165-77. Paramasivam S, Niimi Y, Meila D, Berenstein A. [medigraphic.com]
[…] severe intracranial AVMs, including vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation, which was symptomatic at birth or during infancy, extracranial AVM of the face and extremities, and Parkes Weber syndrome, previously considered sporadic and nongenetic. [3] Epidemiology [emedicine.medscape.com]
Pathophysiology
In most cases the diagnosis is made postnatal, while antenatal diagnosis, because of the pathophysiology of aneurysm itself, as well as pathophysiology of its possible complications, is made usually during the third trimester, frequently after the 34th [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
In most cases the diagnosis is made postnatal (7), while antenatal diagnosis, because of the pathophysiology of aneurysm itself, as well as pathophysiology of its possible complications, is made usually during the third trimester, frequently after the [degruyter.com]
Color-flow imaging and pulsed Doppler ultrasonography provided anatomical and pathophysiological information regarding cardiac hemodynamics and intracranial blood flow; with the patient's clinical status, these methods provided a reliable, noninvasive [doi.org]
CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that most treated children survive and undergo normal neurological development; an understanding of the clinical, anatomical, and pathophysiological features of VGAM has, therefore, reversed the former poor prognosis. [read.qxmd.com]
Prevention
[…] of preeclampsia Prediction and prevention of preterm birth Prediction and prevention of stillbirth Prediction and management of fetal growth restriction Problems of multiple pregnancies In 2016/2017, the Fetal Medicine Foundation made a donation of £22 [fetalmedicine.org]
The high pressure in the veins can prevent the infant’s brain from draining adequately. This can lead to widespread brain injury and sometimes causes severe loss of tissue in the brain. [childrenshospital.org]
This reduces the flow of blood and eases vascular overload, thus improving the heart condition How can Vein of Galen Malformation be Prevented? Presently, there exist no guidelines or methods to prevent Vein of Galen Malformation from developing. [dovemed.com]
However, VGAM can go undetected despite appropriate prenatal screening, and early detection and treatment after birth can prevent complications. [elsevier.es]