Unruptured arteriovenous malformation in a patient presenting with obstructive hydrocephalus. Case report and review of the literature.

[hydrocephalus with stenosis of the aqueduct of sylvius]

The authors report on a patient harboring an unruptured cortical arteriovenous malformation (AVM ), who had presented with obstructive hydrocephalus due to compression of the cerebral aqueduct by a large venous varix . Although patients with ruptured AVMs are known to either present with or later suffer from obstructive hydrocephalus , those with unruptured AVMs who present in this manner are quite rare . Moreover , hydrocephalus caused by a venous varix draining an AVM , to our knowledge , has never been previously reported in the literature . This report serves to illustrate two primary points , namely , that tortuous venous varices draining AVMs can result in obstructive hydrocephalus and that this unusual circumstance can be fostered in the setting of venous outflow obstruction .