Arteriovenous Malformation

An intracranial arteriovenous malformation is an abnormal tangle of blood vessels in the brain. Normally, oxygen-rich blood enters the brain through arteries, which branch into smaller arterioles and subsequently to capillaries, the smallest blood vessels. Oxygen is removed from blood in the capillaries and used by the brain, and then blood passes into small venules and then into larger veins that drain the blood from the brain to the heart and lungs. In an AVM, the blood passes directly from arteries to veins via the abnormal vessels.

Arteriovenous malformations do not allow the brain to absorb oxygen from the blood, which can result in stroke-like symptoms like headaches, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, trouble with speech, or changes of consciousness depending on the size and location, and seizures. The condition also puts extreme pressure on the thin-walled veins, since no capillaries are available to slow down the blood flow. As a person grows, more arteries may be "recruited" to supply blood to the fast-flowing AVM. As a result, some AVMs enlarge. Over time, the veins or the abnormal group of blood vessels may rupture and cause a brain hemorrhage.  Treatments for AVMs include surgery, endovascular embolization, and Gamma Knife radiosurgery.

To learn more about arteriovenous malformations and our treatment options, contact us.