title: Therapeutic alternatives for vein of Galen vascular malformations.
abstract: From September, 1986, to March, 1990, the authors treated 28 children harboring a vein of Galen vascular malformation. Eleven (39.3%) of the patients were neonates, 13 (46.4%) were 1 to 2 years old, and four (14.3%) were more than 2 years old. Fifteen patients (53.6%) presented with severe congestive heart failure, six (21.4%) had seizures, four (14.3%) had hydrocephalus, and three (10.7%) presented with intraventricular hemorrhage. Based on the Yaşargil classification of malformations, 10 lesions (35.7%) were Type I, seven (25%) were Type II, eight (28.6%) were Type III, and three (10.7%) were Type IV. In 11 patients (39.3%), a combined transfemoral, transarterial, and transvenous embolization of the vein of Galen malformation was performed. A pure transtorcular approach was utilized in eight patients (28.6%), and postembolization surgical clipping of arterial feeders was performed in two cases with intractable congestive heart failure. Complete anatomical occlusion of the galenic malformation was achieved in 13 patients (46.4%). An immediate postembolization improvement in the patient's clinical status was obtained in 23 (82.1%) of 28 patients and a good long-term clinical outcome was seen in 17 patients (60.7%). Five deaths (17.9%) occurred in this series of 28 patients; three (10.7%) were related to a transtorcular embolization and two (7.1%) to the unchanged natural history of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of California School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lylyk
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Viñuela
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dion
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duckwiler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guglielmi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D002550:Cerebral Veins / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D002538:Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D011859:Radiography