User:Jesspf/Great Cerebral Vein of Galen

BI481.01 Jessica Pierre Francois Alex Brodo Richards Mills 02/10/2009

Neuroscience Wikipedia proposal

Our group chose the great cerebral vein of Galen as the topic of our B1481.01 Neuroscience wikipedia project. We decided that we would divide the work into three sections. We wanted to describe the anatomy of the great cerebral vein and its role in the brain. Next, we wanted to describe some clinical diagnoses as a result of the malformations in the great cerebra vein. Finally, we wanted to discuss some surgical and sociological treatments used to treat patients suffering from these great cerebral vein malformations

Anatomy: “The great cerebral vein of Galen is a short stalk formed by the union of two internal cerebral veins. It curves backward and upward around the splenium of the corpus callosum and ends at the confluence of the inferior sagittal sinus and the anterior extremity of the straight sinus.” “Great cerebral vein of Galen malformation are due to an arteriovenous fistula of the median prosencephalic vein (MPV) (a precursor of the vein of Galen) at 6-11 weeks of gestation. The MPV fails to revert and becomes aneurysmal. It drains via the straight sinus or the falcine sinus and the great cerebral vein of Galen does not form.”

Clinical Diagnoses: One section will cover disorders and diseases to which the great cerebral vein is prone. Most conditions associated with the great cerebral vein are due to congenital defects. These include vein of Galen aneurismal malformations (VGAM), vein of Galen aneurismal dilation (VGAD), which are the most frequent arteriovenous malformations in infants and fetuses. These may cause congestive heart failure and obstruction of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) outflow, leading to hydrocephalus. Non-developmental syndromes also directly or indirectly affect the great cerebral vein, although they are extremely rare. These include superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS), and thrombosis of the lateral sinus, superior sagittal sinus, internal jugular vein, or of the great cerebral vein itself.

Treatments: We intend to include a section on the treatment options for abnormal Great Cerebral Veins. This section will feature information on the diagnosis of these deficiencies, both by visual symptoms and by radiological and doppler procedures. The treatment section will also discuss the surgical strategies with correcting abnormal Great Cerebral Veins and the success rates to go with those procedures. Another section we plan on adding to our page will be on the sociological impacts of Great Cerebral Vein abnormalities. This section will talk about how dysfunctional Great Cerebral Veins are very uncommon and how, consequently, it is difficult to find information online about the ailment. The section will continue on about online support groups that have been founded both to shed light on the Great Cerebral Vein malformation and to offer a community of support to those with children afflicted with it.

Sources

Ferro, JM, Canhao, P., Bousser, MG, Stam, J., Barinagarrementeria, F. (2005). Great cerebral vein and dural sinus thrombosis in elderly patients. Stroke, 36(9), 1927-1932.

International Study on Cerebral Vein and Dural Sinus Thrombosis. (2003). Retrieved September 30, 2009 from http://www.iscvt.com/

McElhinney, D., Halbach, V., Silverman, N., Dowd, C., Hanley, F. (1998). Congenital cardiac anomalies with vein of Galen malformations in infants. Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 78(6), 548-551.

Nicholson, A., Hourihan, MD, Hayward, C. (1989). Arteriovenous malformations involving the vein of Galen. Archives of Disorders in Children: Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 64(12), 1653-1655.

Stam, J. (2005). Thrombosis of the cerebral veins and sinuses. The New England Journal of Medicine, 352, 1791-1798.

Viswanatha, B. (2007). Lateral sinus thrombosis. Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, 59(1), 24-27.

Wilson, LD, Detterbeck, FC, Yahalom, J. (2007). Superior vena cava syndrome with malignant causes. The New England Journal of Medicine, 356, 1862-1869.

Gray, F.R.S. Henry. Anatomy of the Human Body. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger., 1918.