Intracranial aneurysms in early childhood.

A case of an aneurysm of the middle cerebral artery in a 17-month-old child has been presented and the literature on the problem reviewed. A total of 27 aneurysms in young children (under two years of age) has been found. The characteristics that define this group of patients are: a greater proportion of aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery and its branches and of the vertebrobasilar system; greater size of the aneurysms; and frequent pseudotumor syndromes. The surgical prognosis in this group of patients is excellent. The physical and pathophysiological characteristics of these aneurysms appearing in early childhood are described.