What does the SWS mean?

The clinical features of the SWS are port-wine nevus, leptomeningeal angioma, seizures, hemiparesis and mental retardation. Ocular complications include glaucoma, buphthalmos, choroidal angiomas and optic atrophy. The malformations of the meningeal vessels often cause seizures, which can difficultly be controlled (epilepsy) accompanied by hemiparesis relatively well compensated by the children.

Causes of the SWS?

A genetic cause could not be proved up to now, as far as known to us it is the question of a "vagarious temper of the nature". Therefore the danger of a repeated arising risk can be excluded for the families concerned.

Which therapeutic possibilities can be applied?

The anatomic malformations are irreparable. The epilepsy can be treated symptomatically with various anticonvulsant drugs. In severely affected cases neurosurgical procedures are sometimes possible after exact determination of the starting area of the seizures. The exact time of such an neurosurgical procedure can be very important regarding the development prognosis. Pulsed dye laser treatment of the cosmetically irritating cutaneous lesions may be feasible. Additional physiotherpeutical measures are necessary in any case.

Prognosis of the SWS?

The prognosis mainly depends on the progress and the seriousness of the seizures. Children with less aggressive seizures are normally in better conditions. The other ones can be satisfactorily helped by various therapeutic possibilities.