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Neurology (Expert Forum)
AVM recurrence?
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AVM recurrence?
by Kathlen-W, Jun 23, 1998 12:00AM
I had an AVM resection - right frontal lobe 15 years ago. The surgery took 10 hours. Have been taking dilantin since to contol left arm, side of face tingles/numbness which was diagnosed as seizures. One year ago I started experiencing headaches, nausea, extreme dizziness and tingling on left side, mostly my leg and the tingles are in a different part of my face - my left leg is weak. Past cat scan (post surgery) showed a vein of galen aneurysm. Recent cat scan showed the avm didn't come back and my eeg is benign - the vein of galen aneurysm has had no change. I was put on Neurontin along with my dilantin. I am still getting tingles in my face and left leg and it is still weak, I am still having bouts of dizziness. Can that be the neurontin? My doctor says the next step is an arteriogram because cat scans aren't conclusive. I can't have an MRI because of clips in my brain. How often do AVM's recur? What are symtoms of something happening in a brain of galen aneurysm? After an AVM resection can a person expect to have a normal life expectancy?
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Dear Kathleen,
Surgical resection is the definitive cure for AVM's. They can, however, recur
if some of the AVM was missed at surgery. It is unclear whether the symptoms
you are having are from a recurrent AVM, but this is a consideration. A CT
scan would not adequately diagnose this. An angiogram may be warranted in
your case to definitively investigate the possibility of AVM recurrence. You
should speak to your physician in this regard and seek his or her opinion.
Good luck.
