very small veins and arteries in the neck

[dw172]

My 16 year old grandson has very small veins and arteries fromhis neck to his head on the right side. He gets severe headaches and sometimes regresses to an infant, but does not remember any of it. Is ther anything that can be done for him, like surgery? He has Lupus-SLE also.

[dw172]

He has a Lupus dr,Rheumatologist,Urologist,Cardiologist,Neurologist as well as a family physician and no one can tell us if there might be a possible surgery they could do.

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

Lupus is a multi-organ disease. It can affect the kidneys, skin, heart, lungs, and GI tract. It can also affect the central nervous system (i.e., psychiatric disturbances, seizures, migraines, sensory changes, and even stroke).

Asymmetry in vasculature is common. One vertebral artery (an artery that supplies blood to the brain) can be smaller than the other side particularly if the smaller artery is on the side of the nondominant hemisphere. This is a quite common finding.

I suggest that he be seen by his rheumatologist regarding his lupus. It would be important to determine if the neuro-psychiatric symptoms are related to the lupus or another process.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.