Arteriovenous malformation or AVM is an abnormal connection between veins and arteries, usually congenital This pathology is widely known because of its occurrence in the central nervous system, but can appear in any location.

The genetic transmission patterns of AVM, if any, are unknown. AVM is not generally thought to be an inherited disorder, unless in the context of a specific hereditary syndrome.

Symptoms of AVM vary according to the location of the malformation. Roughly 90%  of people affected with AVM are asymptomatic; in rare cases its expansion or a micro-bleed from an AVM in the brain can cause epilepsy, deficit or pain.

The most general symptoms of a cerebral AVM include headache and epilepsy, with more specific symptoms occurring that normally depend on the location of the malformation and the individual. Such possible symptoms include:

• Difficulties with movement or coordination, including muscle weakness and even paralysis ;
• vertigo (dizziness);
• Difficulties of speech (dysarthria) and communication, such as alogia ;
• Difficulties with everyday activities, such as apraxia;
• Abnormal sensations (numbness, tingling, or spontaneous pain);
• Memory and thought-related problems, such as confusion, dementia or hallucinations .

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AVMs may occur in isolation or as a part of another disease (e.g. Von Hippel-Lindau disease or  hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia). Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are the leading cause of stroke in young people

Bleeding from an AVM can be devastating, particularly in the brain. It can cause severe and often fatal strokes. If a cerebral AVM is detected before a stroke occurs, usually the arteries feeding blood into the nidus can be closed off to avert the danger.

Current acceptable treatment usually involves some combination of embolization, open skull surgery and radiosurgery. 

 If the patient has already suffered a bleed, surgery is often recommended to quickly eliminate the risk of another hemorrhage.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery either alone or in combination with embolization techniques is very attractive in children with complex deep seated or brain stem AVMs.

Email: gamma@gammaknifeonline.in

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