Brain Arteriovenous Malformations

Abstract

Although intracranial hemorrhages,1 interest in brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs) is expanding from its origins as a neuropathologic curiosity to the treatment-oriented specialties of neurological surgery, interventional neuroradiology, radiosurgery/therapy, and clinical neurology, and is even emerging as a subject in neuroepidemiology. Recent insights from uncontrolled series: argue for some genetic derangements in the origin of some of the lesions2,3; have revised some issues of pathophysiology4–7; track the risk of hemorrhage over time8; suggest the risk for hemorrhage can be predicted by vascular factors discoverable by noninvasive or minimally invasive imaging9,10; indicate many initial hemorrhage syndromes are mild,11 more so than that caused by non-BAVM parenchymal or aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages12; have reassessed the outcomes from intervention in a variety of forms after initial hemorrhage13–15; raise questions concerning the safety and …