Microsurgical treatment of pediatric intracranial arteriovenous malformations

Abstract

Objective To summarize the experience of micmsurgical treatment of intracranial arterio-venous malformation(AVM)in children.Methods Between June 2003 and June 2007,31 Dediatric patients with intracranial AVMs were surgically treated in this institute.The clinical data and surgical results of those patients were retrospectively reviewed.The symptom of onset included:intracranial hemorrhage'in 25 cases,seizure in 5 cases,and mild headache in 1 case. According to the Spetzler-Martin(S-M)Grading Scale,The AVMs were graded Ⅰ in 2,Ⅱ in 12,Ⅲ in 10,Ⅳin 5 and Ⅴ in 2.Surgical resection was performed in a11 thesecases.Preoperative embolization was used in 7 cases.Results The total obliteration rate was 100%.Transient postoperative complications or minor new neurological signs Occurred in 6 patients.Good recovery was aehieved in 30 out of 31 patients except 1 patient was moderately disabled.There was no mortality.Conclusions The goal of cerebral arteriovenous malformation therapy in pediatric patients should be complete resection of the AVM to eliminate subsequent hemorrhage.Microsurgical treatment is a safe and effeclive method for pediatric intracrnial AVMs. Key words: Intracranial arteriovenous malformations; Microsurgerv