management
Last reviewed 01/2018
Cerebral AV malformations are treated if there is:
- an expanding haematoma associated with AVM
- a risk of haemorrhage - especially in young who may bear the AVM for some considerable time
- poor tolerance of symptoms - except usually unhelpful in resolving epilepsy
Methods of treating the malformation include:
- surgical - excision of AVM aided by angiography; or occlusion of feeding vessels - less popular today because AVM often shows persistent filling from dilated collaterals; only available with low-grade AVM's
- selective embolisation of feeding vessels - sponge, muscle, beads, detachable balloons, etc. may be introduced
- radiotherapy - may be widely used as methods improve