Neonatal Central Nervous System Vascular Disorders

Usefulness of Neurosonogram in Critical Ill Neonates

The Cranial Neurosonogram is the preferred method for viewing the infant's brain. Ultrasound tools are portable and may be used at the NICU bedside. This corresponds to the concept of point-of-care testing. The difficulties associated with moving newborns to CT or MRI rooms are eliminated. Furthermore, ultrasound is less expensive than CT, has no radiation impact, and does not require sedation, which is required for MRI. Cranial sutures are still open in newborns, allowing us to glimpse within the brain using ultrasonography. A radiologist or neonatologist specializing in that profession should do the neurosonogram. The majority of the time, the course of therapy and subsequent care of the patient can be based on a Neurosonogram finding. Regardless of weight, height, or gestational age, any neonate who has a higher risk of morbidity or death due to fetal, placental, or maternal factors is classified as critically unwell. A sick neonate is defined as any neonate, regardless of birth weight, size, or gestational age, who has a greater than average risk of morbidity or mortality due to fetal, maternal, or placental anomalies or an otherwise compromised pregnancy within the first 28 days of life.

Meningocerebral angiodysplasia with metanephric induction failure: Broadening the spectrum of an emerging maldevelopmental syndrome

The uncommon simultaneous occurrence of an exuberant, angioma-like proliferation of superficial cerebral microvessels along with absence of the kidneys has been proposed to constitute a syndromic complex for which the term "meningocerebral angiodysplasia (or angiomatosis) with renal agenesis" (MCA-RA) is being descriptively used. We observed this constellation in one of a pair of dichorionic male twins following postpartal death in the 38th week of pregnancy. General autopsy revealed rudimentary metanephric anlagen made up of few residual glomeruli, cysts lined by flattened tubular epithelium, and islands of cartilage - corresponding to renal aplastic dysplasia. Largely inconspicuous with respect to its gyral pattern, as well as the configuration of the ventricular system, the brain microscopically showed extensive replacement of the cortex by a lattice of proliferating capillaries with necrosis of the intervening parenchyma. Minute foci of calcified necrosis were scattered in the deep subcortical white matter as well, while the ventricular ependyma and the subventricular germ cell layer remained remarkably intact. The cerebellum and brain stem appeared unaffected as well. Karyotyping of skin fibroblasts indicated a normal chromosome set of 46XY without gross structural anomalies. We interpret these findings as ones apt to being reasonably accommodated within the spectrum of MCA-RA. Although exceedingly rare, accurate identification of individual cases of MCA-RA is relevant both to differential diagnosis from its prognostically different look-alike "proliferative vasculopathy and hydranencephaly-hydrocephaly" (PVHH), and to refine the nosology of unconventional pediatric vascular malformations, for which the rather nonspecific label "angiodysgenetic necrotizing encephalopathy" is still commonly used.

Vertex scalp mass as presenting sign of a complex intracranial vascular malformation

Scalp masses are not infrequently encountered in daily clinical practice. They are represented by a wide spectrum of different clinical entities and are usually managed by an excision or by simple observation. Although it happens rarely, head lumps may hide an underlying cranioencephalic malformation that has to be preoperatively diagnosed to perform an appropriate treatment. Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are not included among the intracranial malformations connected with a scalp mass. The authors report on the unusual case of a child harboring a complex intracranial AVM that initially presented as a small scalp mass. Actually, this young boy came to the authors' attention just for a small, soft, pulsatile, and reducible mass of the vertex that produced a circumscribed bone erosion. The presence of macrocranium and venous engorgement of the face, however, suggested the presence of an intracranial "mass." The neuroimaging investigations pointed out a temporal AVM causing dilation of the intracranial sinuses and ectasia of the vein of the scalp; one of the veins was appreciable as a lump on the vertex.

Pediatric Neuroanesthesia

Recent advances in pediatric neurosurgery have drastically improved the outcome in infants and children afflicted with surgical lesions of the central nervous system (CNS). Because most of these techniques were first applied to adults, the physiologic and developmental differences that are inherent in pediatric patients present challenges to neurosurgeons and anesthesiologists alike. The aim of this paper is to highlight these age-dependent approaches to the pediatric neurosurgical patient.

Anesthesia for epilepsy surgery in children

BACKGROUND

The perioperative management of infants and children for epilepsy surgery should focus on the specific problems unique to the state of the disease, age of the child, and operative conditions. A basic understanding of age-dependent variables and the interaction of anesthetic and surgical procedures are essential in minimizing perioperative morbidity and mortality. Specific medical conditions that impact the conduct of anesthesia include congenital anomalies, chronic anticonvulsant therapies, and evolving coagulopathies. The neurosurgical procedure and neurophysiological monitoring will determine the type of anesthetic technique to be utilized during surgery.

OBJECTIVE

This review will provide a systematic approach to pediatric patients undergoing epilepsy surgery.

Pediatric neuroanesthesia

The perioperative management of pediatric neurosurgical patients presents many challenges to neurosurgeons and anesthesiologists. Many conditions are unique to pediatrics. Thorough preoperative evaluation and open communication between members of the health care team are important. A basic understanding of age-dependent variables and the interaction of anesthetic and surgical procedures are essential in minimizing perioperative morbidity and mortality.

Anaesthesia for interventional neuroradiology

Neuroradiologists have extended their treatment modalities in the field of vascular neurosurgery. The rapidly emerging and re-engineered neuroradiological techniques confront the anaesthetist with an increasing number of patients with severe neurological disease. More of these patients will need general anaesthesia in order to facilitate the endovascular procedure, including catheter placement, deposition of embolic material, and improved imaging. Anaesthetists are challenged by additional anaesthesiological aspects previously not encountered in neuroanaesthesia. A safe anaesthetic management is based on a broad understanding of pathophysiological and technical issues that arise with the endovascular treatment of cerebral vasculopathy.

Chest x-ray findings in arteriovenous malformation of the great vein of Galen

THE MOST COMMON NEONATAL intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an aneurysm of the vein of Galen.1 This aneurysm presents in the immediate neonatal period in 90 percent of cases and predominantly affects males.2 The primary abnormality consists of multiple arterial feeding vessels joined via a nidus (central nucleus) to draining veins. The arterial vessels vary in structure from normally differentiated arteries to primitive vessels. Histology reveals arterial vessels that are dysplastic, dilated, and tortuous, with hyperplastic and disorganized smooth muscle fibers. The internal elastic lamina of these vessels is fragmented or absent. The veins are dysplastic with anomalous veinlike channels; reactive muscular hyperplasia; and degenerative changes of fibrosis, atrophy, thrombi, and calcification.3