What if some of the malformation persists?
There are different types of VGM. Some of these have very many small feeders, which would be impossible to completely close off, simply because of the time and risk involved. The important factors in assessing this malformation are the rate of the shunt and the adequacy of venous drainage. Unfortunately these two factors are linked in early life as the veins in the head are still developing at birth. However, if a child is not in heart failure then it is good to wait until that child is bigger for technical reasons. What has to be watched is how the shunt is interacting with the veins.
