Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) Arteriovenous malformations
(AVMS) are tangles of dilated, thin-walled blood vessels that
occur anywhere within the brain or on the dura mater (the
covering of the brain). If an AVM ruptures, it can cause a
stroke, brain damage, or death. AVMs occur in less than 1
percent of the population (300,000 Americans) and are more
common in males than in females. On average, there is a 1% per
year likelihood of intracranial bleeding. Patients can have no
symptoms or may present with headaches, seizures, or progressive
neurological loss of function. If a hemorrhage occurs, the
patient may experience severe headache, stroke-like symptoms, or
loss of consciousness. Upon arrival to the hospital, patients
will be stabilized, undergo CT and be admitted to the intensive
care unit. An angiogram is often performed to identify if there
are any urgent attributable risk factors for bleeding that merit
earlier rather than later treatment, such as an associated
aneurysm. Treatment of AVMs may incl