Vein of Galen Malformation Manifesting as High-Output Heart Failure

Abstract

The sudden onset of vomiting in a previously healthy term neonate has a broad differential requiring a thorough history and physical examination. When this does not reveal the underlying cause, a workup must be performed to rule out potentially devastating diagnoses that must be addressed in a timely fashion. In infants, this clinical presentation could be due to infections such as sepsis or meningitis, gastrointestinal causes such as anatomical abnormalities or ingestions, or cardiac causes such as congenital heart disease. Conversely, inborn errors of metabolism or neurologic issues such as vascular anomalies or a tumor with associated increased intracranial pressure could also be the culprit. In this report, we discuss the case of a previously healthy newborn with a rare cause of vomiting and feeding intolerance, which was ultimately discovered to be due to the vein of Galen malformation.