CEREBRAL ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULA ASSOCIATED WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE IN THE NEWBORN

Two infants with congestive failure in the newborn period were found to have congenital arteriovenous fistulae at post-mortem examination. One case died at 5 months of age with advanced neurologic disease; the other died at 3 days in severe congestive heart failure. In neither case were there developmental cardiac anomalies. A brief review of the literature on congenital cerebral arteriovenous aneurysms and a discussion of their circulatory effect is presented. It is suggested that the neonatal heart works near its maximum capacity and congestive failure may be readily precipitated. Extracardiac conditions responsible for congestive failure are enumerated.