Aneurysms and Carotid Artery Block in Newborns

This study will determine the risk of brain aneurysm (abnormal outpouching of a brain artery) in young adults who had their carotid artery tied off as an infant as part of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) procedure. This procedure is sometimes performed on newborns with lung problems so that they can have oxygen brought to their blood outside the body. ECMO operates similar to a heart-lung machine. Blood drained from the veins has the carbon dioxide removed and oxygen added. The oxygenated blood is then returned to the body through the arteries.

People 18 to 25 years of age who underwent ECMO as an infant at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., may be eligible for this study.

Participants undergo the following procedures:

• Medical history and physical and neurological examinations.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head and neck. MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to obtain images of body organs and tissues. The subject lies in the scanner (a metal cylinder surrounded by a magnetic field) for about 90 minutes, lying still for up to 15 minutes at a time. During part of the procedure, a contrast dye is injected into a vein through a catheter (thin plastic tube) to enhance the images.