Cerebrovascular diseases in the first three years of life

Congenital and acquired cerebrovascular diseases in the very young age group are reviewed and discussed. Whilst saccular aneurysms are rare arteriovenous malformations and cavernous hemangiomas represent the most frequent types of all congenital anomalies. The aneurysm of the great vein of Galen manifests in the newborn period and mostly is mistaken for congenital heart disease. If the infant survives this angioma causes hydrocephalus. A particular type of phakomatosis combines intracerebral pure venous malformation with homolateral port-wine nevus on the front, often causing epileptic seizures. Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage occurs in children with small cavernous hemangiomas. Acquired arterial lesions may develop during fetal life by embolism, causing porencephaly or unilateral brain atrophy. The "Moyamoya" syndrome represents a frequent multi-arterial lesion causing characteristic ischemic episodes. Etiology is still obscure. We do not even know if the disease is acquired or congenital.