[Treatment of cerebral vein aneurysms in children]. / Leczenie tetniaków zyly Galena u dzieci.

Aneurysms of the vein of Galen are very rare vascular anomalies found mainly in newborns and infants. In the years 1982-1989 five children with these aneurysms were treated. Their age was from 6 weeks to 16 months, all were males. The diagnosis was based on computed tomography (initial examination) and cerebral angiography. Two cases with hydrocephalus were treated with valves. The main procedure was clipping of supplying vessels. One child died during diagnostic procedures. The results in four operated on patients are good.

Overpressure radionuclide cisternography and metrizamide computed tomographic cisternography in the detection of intermittent rhinoliquorrheas in children.

The authors present their clinical observations on 25 children treated because of cerebrospinal fluid leakage. In an attempt to improve the detection of rhinorrhea, overpressure radionuclide cisternography (ORNC), combined with the placement of nasal pledgets, was employed in 20 cases. In 16 cases, metrizamide computed tomographic cisternography (MCTC) was performed. In 11 children both types of investigations were done. ORNC was performed as follows: after placing pledgets in each side of the nasopharynx, a lumbar puncture was done and opening, resting CSF pressure was continuously monitored. 99mTc-DTPA (1 ml, 0.5-3.0 mCi) was injected intrathecally and infusion of artificial CSF followed. MCTC was done 1 h after instillation of 5 ml of metrizamide. The rhinorrhea was diagnosed in 14 cases (all cases were verified through operation). In one case with negative ORNC, rhinorrhea was observed 1 week after examination and in the other 4 days after an additional head tap. In the group of MCTC, four results were true-positive, seven true-negative, and five false-negative. Concerning the group of ORNC and MCTC, four cases were false-negative with MCTC, but true-positive in ORNC. In seven cases EEG was performed immediately before and after ORNC and no changes were observed. There were no adverse effects following either type of investigation. In conclusion, the authors state that ORNC seems to be more sensitive in comparison to MCTC in diagnosis of intermittent rhinorrhea. MCTC, however, may be useful for precisely locating the CSF leakage.