Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are congenital vascular abnormalities that can occur in the brain and other parts of the body. Symptoms and risks depend on location and size, and treatment options include radiation and embolization or a wait-and-see approach. Diagnosis may occur incidentally or after medical imaging studies.
Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are vascular abnormalities that most commonly occur in the brain. They are thought to be congenital in nature, with all the evidence suggesting that people are born with AVM. The symptoms experienced by the patient depend on the location and size of the arteriovenous malformation. Treatment options are available to manage the condition if it becomes a problem.
In someone with arteriovenous malformation, an abnormal connection is made between the arteries and veins in the bloodstream. This bypasses the delivery system which is designed to move blood through the area affected by the malformation. As a result, the patient feels a lack of oxygen because the arteries are unable to deliver it to its final destinations. The malformation looks like a tangled web of blood vessels and grows over time.
Several risks are associated with arteriovenous malformations. In the case of a brain AVM, the first is damage to the brain caused by oxygen deprivation, which can lead to stroke-like symptoms and other signs of neurological damage including seizures, headaches and back pain. Additionally, there is a risk that the AVM could rupture, causing hemorrhages in the brain and a neurological emergency if the growth is large enough. Low-level bleeding can also cause minor damage that may not be immediately linked to an arteriovenous malformation unless the growth has been recognized and diagnosed. Arteriovenous malformations elsewhere in the body can lead to a variety of complications.
Symptoms of arteriovenous malformations may appear in your 30s, if at all. Medical imaging studies, including angiograms to look at blood vessels, can be used to diagnose AVM. In many patients, however, the growth is discovered as an incidental finding when doctors are looking for or treating something else. In some cases, AVMs are only identified after death, when a pathologist notes during an autopsy that the patient had arteriovenous malformation and was living with it for life without realizing it.
When arteriovenous malformations are diagnosed, treatments may include radiation and embolization to address the malformed blood vessels. A doctor may also determine that a wait-and-see approach is the best treatment, in which case your growth will be monitored for changes or signs of instability. If problems occur, treatment will be offered. This helps patients avoid unnecessary medical procedures that could be used to treat an AVM that doesn’t actually require any treatment or further action.
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