A one-year-old female baby from Yemen underwent a complex surgery at a private hospital in the city for a rare condition called ‘Vein of Galen Malformation’ (VOGM), a blood vessel abnormality inside the brain.
She was brought to SPARSH Hospital, where the surgery was performed, with hydrocephalus also known as enlargement of the head, and delayed neurological milestones (limited physical and mental growth).
Although a year old, she seemed to have achieved a growth of about six months only. The CT and MRI Scans that were done earlier showed signs of VOGM, a congenital disorder that disrupts the usual flow of blood to the brain.
In VOGM, misshapen arteries in the brain connect directly with veins, instead of connecting with capillaries, which help slow down blood flow. This causes a rush of high-pressure blood into the veins.
This rush of blood can cause heart failure. Such conditions are usually noticed during anomaly scans in pregnancy, and appropriate measures are taken. Therefore, it’s very uncommon to see this condition in the postnatal period, said Bhaskar M.V., Chief Interventional Neuro-Radiologist at the hospital.
EOM/
