[Cerebral arterio-venous malformations in children under 10 years].
BACKGROUND
Arteriovascular malformations are anomalies of the embryonic development of cerebral vessels. They usually appear at between 10 and 30 years of age, being infrequent in infants.


OBJECTIVE
Describe our experience of angiomas in small children.


METHODS
The histories of all children under 10 years of age with the diagnosis of arteriovenous malformation admitted to our department between November 1984 and May 1995 were reviewed.


RESULTS
Nine patients, aged between 3 months and 10 years; seven cases presented as intracranial haemorrhage, one with epileptic crises and another with general clumsiness and a hemicerebellar syndrome. The diagnosis was confirmed by angiography and/or study by the pathologist in all cases. Six patients were treated surgically and the other three by embolization. Of the latter, two also received radiosurgical treatment. The complications seen were; two children died, one during the acute phase and the other four years later as direct consequence of the haemorrhage. Six patients had residual neurological defects. One child had no complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Intra-parenchymatous haemorrhage is the commonest manifestation of angiomas in children under 10 years of age. The high risk and serious consequences of bleeding make it necessary for treatment to be as radical as possible.
Marzo
M E
ME
Sección de Neuropediatria, Hospital de Cruces, Vizcaya.
Garaizar
C
C
Prats-Viñas
J M
JM
Zuazo
E
E
Sousa
T
T
D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*
Malformaciones arteriovenosas cerebrales en nińos menores de 10 ańos.