Cerebral arteriovenous malformation as a cause of congestive heart failure in a newborn

Abstract

Arteriovenous malformation of the vein of Galen represents a very uncommon congenital vascular anomaly. This patology occurs preferably in neonatal period, and can cause severe morbi-mortality. Clinical presentation is variable. Association of cranial murmur and heart failure are frequent presentations in neonatal period. The degree of heart failure associated represents the main prognostic factor and determinant of the treatment, which consists, first, in the symptomatic treatment of the same, and secondly, in the treatment of the vascular lesion, either by surgery, or by intravascular access, method that has improved results in recent years. We report the case of a male neonate with prenatal diagnosis of aneurysmal dilatation of the vein of Galen, that was confirmed in the postnatal period and developed congestive heart failure that does not respond to treatment initiated, and died at four days old.