Intracranial haemorrhage associated with anomalous venous drainage

Two patients presented following small posterior fossa intraparenchymal haemorrhages from which they fully recovered. In one case this was a repeat haemorrhage. Both patients had sustained this haemorrhage within the bed of anomalous venous drainage. Angiography suggested that in both cases the anastomosis of the anomalous draining vein with the durai sinus was stenosed. These cases support the concept that anomalous venous drainage can be associated with intraparenchymal haemorrhage unassociated with cavernous malformation, that a compromised venous drainage may be the cause for such haemorrhage and that surgical resection of 'venous angiomas' is inappropriate.