Abstract
A series of 14 vein of Galen vascular malformations diagnosed in the pediatric populations and treated at the Hospital for Sick Children-Necker, Paris, between 1988 and 1994 is presented. Five of the patients were diagnosed in the neonatal period, of whom 4 presented with life-threatening, intractable cardiac decompensation and high-flow arteriovenous fistulae. Embolization was performed on vital indications in 4 patients during the first week after birth. One embolization failed with fatal outcome. Of the 3 who were embolized, 2 succumbed within 1 week and 1 survived with marked improvement of cardiac symptoms. The older children presented with hydrocephalus and neurologic symptoms. The 10 patients older than 1 year were embolized. These procedures were successful in 90 %, with hemodynamic stabilization and improvement of clinical symptoms. In this group the mortality rate was 10 %. The total mortality rate was 29 %. Hydrocephalus was secondary to a compression of the Sylvian aqueduct in 44 % of cases. Five patients had ventricular drainage before embolization followed by a staged elective embolization. Transarterial embolizations were performed in 11 patients, whereas 2 patients were embolized via the transvenous route.
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Received 31 May 1996; Revision received 30 August 1996; Accepted 13 February 1997
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Borthne, A., Carteret, M., Baraton, J. et al. Vein of Galen vascular malformations in infants: clinical, radiological and therapeutic aspect. Eur Radiol 7, 1252–1258 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003300050285
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003300050285