An Unusual Presentation of Arteriovenous Malformation in a Pediatric Patient

Abstract

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are defined as tortuous connections between arteries and veins that bypass the capillary system. Cerebral AVMs are rare with a general prevalence of 0.5%-1% with approximately one-fifth of these being diagnosed in infancy or childhood. Although most AVMs go undetected, the most common presenting symptom is hemorrhage. Despite a broad differential diagnosis for syncope described in the pediatric literature, there has been no report of AVM as the underlying etiology. We present a case of a seven-year-old female who presented with a single syncopal episode and was later found to have a large AVM involving mainly the thalamus on the right side and the basal ganglia with large intraventricular draining veins into the galenic venous system. To our knowledge, this is the only case reported of an AVM presenting as syncope in a pediatric patient.

Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation in a Pediatric Patient with Severe Systemic Hypertension

“…Cerebral AVM is uncommon with an overall prevalence rate of 0.5 to 1%. 1 In pediatric population the prevalence rate of cerebral AVM is 0.02% and the annual incidence rate of symptomatic AVM is 1.1 per 100,000/year. 2 Although it is not common in childhood, but rupture of AVM is more common in paediatric patients as compared to adults leading to spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.…”