Could venous malformation show changes when the body is in zero gravity?

Question

Hi doctor, I did an MRI last year and they found a vein abnormality suddenly. They told me that it remains dilated in infratentorial. They told me that it does not show any symptoms. I lived my life without noticing it. Is this thing can be affected by gravity? Can I have any danger when my body experience zero gravity? I have a normal size ventricular system. There is presence of congenital venous malformation with multiple dilated veins achieving medusa head appearance at the right occipital level draining to a manifold and then at homolateral sinus. Median structures remain in place. There is an absence of parenchymal signal abnormality or abnormal enhancement. There is an absence of intra or extra-axial hemorrhaging stigmas. There is presence of permeable duremerian sinuses. I conclude my issue that I have a developmental venous abnormality at the right occipital level draining into a manifold and then into the right lateral sinus without any associated abnormality.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Venous malformations are common vascular malformations. It consists of small or large dysplastic venous channels. In the majority of cases, these anomalies are asymptomatic, and while discovered accidentally, they remain benign. They cause neurological symptoms rarely. Intracranial venous malformations can cause seizures or bleeding in the brain (brain hemorrhage). We usually do not treat intracranial venous malformation because they rarely cause symptoms regarding your concern about gravity.

Some reports show that high altitude causes vasodilation and leads to headaches. Gravity affects fluid distribution and pressure within the human circulation. A study shows that over 24 hours in zero gravity, pressure in the brain remains slightly above what is observed on Earth. It causes changes in the retina of astronauts. So theoretically, there is a risk of having increased pressure in the brain. It increases blood flow in venous malformation and leads to neurological symptoms. But currently, research data regarding the direct effect of gravity on intravenous malformation is insufficient and inconclusive.