Congenital intradural arteriovenous fistula and congestive heart failure in infancy

Abstract

A brief review is presented of intracranial arteriovenous fistulas with congestive heart failure and the salient features required to make a diagnosis of such a fistula. An 11-week-old infant is described with congestive heart failure secondary to a congenital intradural arteriovenous fistula. A systolic bruit was felt over the upper posterior neck and mastoid region, and an angiocardiogram revealed a collection of dye in the posterior cranial fossa suggestive of a venous angioma. The patient died before any corrective surgery could be considered. An intradural arteriovenous fistula was found in the posterior cranial fossa at postmortem examination.