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Vein of Galen malformation

21 November 2008

Vein of Galen malformation is a very rare neurological condition involving an abnormal communication between arteries and veins in the brain.  It is treated by specialist teams the key procedure  blockage of the abnormal communication by an interventional radiologist (highly trained doctors who use catheters to inject a glue.)

It can present as heart failure or hydrocephalus, because the heart has to work so hard pumping blood.

In the NHS, funding for this sort of ultra-specialist service is allocated to a special organisation, the National Commissioning Group.   NCG has identified and funded two centres of excellence, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and colleagues in Glasgow.   These two centres carry out this procedure to a high standard.

Press comments that the service is not available in the UK or that better treatment is available abroad is incorrect.

Contact information:

GOSH-ICH Press Office: 020 7239 3125
Email: Coxs@gosh.nhs.uk
For genuine and urgent out of hours call speak to switchboard on 020 7405 9200

Notes to editors

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust is the country’s leading centre for treating sick children, with the widest range of specialists under one roof.

With the UCL Institute of Child Health, we are the largest centre for paediatric research outside the US and play a key role in training children’s health specialists for the future.

Our charity needs to raise £50 million every year to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, buy vital equipment and fund pioneering research. With your help we provide world class care to our very ill children and their families.

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