avm

[tashanw]

recently i was diagnosed through both and mri and a mra to have a avm on the right side of my brain w/o an aneurysm however it says that there is an enlargment of the right anterior cerebral artery that is the vascular supply to the avm, i have an consult with a neurosurgeon soon but was wondering what this all means and what to expect, am i in danger???

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi guys!

Well, the management of an AVM largely depends on few factors such as its size, increase in size/ aneurysm, location, presence of symptoms etc. The procedure of the angiogram is well explained by ‘sweetpea03’.  Specific treatment is required especially when there is increased fear of rupture or associated symptoms. A few modalities can be used such as embolisation, radiation or surgical ligation. The former two are less invasive the latter would require cutting through the skull or craniotomy. Embolization should hopefully be curative in most cases, while surgical ligation is rarely required.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!

[sweetpea03]

An Angiogram is an X-ray test that uses a special dye and a small camera to take pictures of the blood flow in an artery or vein. They will put a small catheter into the artery or vein to inject the dye in there and then take pictures of the area to get a clearer imagine of exactly what is going on. You most likely will have an IV for fluids and any medication that they doctor may want to give you. You most likely will also be awake during this procedure and it typically takes about 1 to 3 hours to complete. The area where the catheter is placed will be numbed with a local anesthetic so it should not be painful at all, but may feel odd or a bit uncomfortable. If you do feel pain, you need to let your doctor know right away. Your doctor will give you specific instructions for what to do after the test is done.  

Embolization is typically what most do for an AVM and this does usually work very well to 'fix' the problem. I doubt you would go for a craniotomy. If the embolization, for some reason, does not work, always get a second opinion before making any large decisions about your health and treatment.

I hope it all goes well. Take care.

[tashanw]

so went to the neurosurgeon yesterday, he said that im def gonna need surgery on top  of the avm there is a small anerysm, says i need an angiogram first what is this like and how does it feel??? Then he plans to try embolization if that dosent take care of it then a craniotomy......eek

[sweetpea03]

The enlargement of the right anterior cerebral artery doesn't necessarily mean anything, as it can enlarge and go back to normal depending on a number of factors, like your blood pressure, temperature, etc. There are a few treatment options for AVMs which you can discuss with your doctor. Many will go for an embolization surgery, but you can also look into removal or stereotactic radiosurgery. Make sure to talk about the pros and cons of each and see what will be best for your specific case. Hope you are doing well.