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Is AVM Serious?

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Is an AVM a serious health risk? An AVM can cause hemorrhaging (bleeding) both into the brain and around the brain, seizures, headaches and neurological problems such as paralysis or loss of speech, memory or vision. AVMs that bleed can lead to serious neurological problems and sometimes death.

What is the survival rate of an AVM?

In observational studies, the mortality rate after intracranial hemorrhage from AVM rupture ranges from 12%–66.7% [1, 2], and 23%–40% of survivors have significant disability [3].

What are the initial signs of AVM?

Some people may experience more-serious neurological signs and symptoms, depending on the location of the AVM, including: Severe headache. In people without hemorrhage, signs and symptoms of a brain AVM may include:

  • Seizures.
  • Headache or pain in one area of the head.
  • Muscle weakness or numbness in one part of the body.

Can an AVM be cured?

In most patients, the AVM will be cured in 1-3 years after treatment. Such radiosurgery is most useful for smaller AVMs, but can be used selectively for the treatment of larger AVMs.

Can you live with an AVM?

AVM affects around 1 in 2000 people. Although most people with the condition can lead relatively normal lives, they live with the risk that the tangles can burst and bleed into the brain at any time, causing a stroke. Around one in every hundred AVM patients suffers a stroke each year.

What triggers AVM?

AVMs result from development of abnormal direct connections between arteries and veins, but experts don’t understand why this happens. Certain genetic changes might play a role, but most types are not usually inherited.

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How long does an AVM surgery take?

The surgery may take several hours. How long depends on the difficulty encountered by the surgeons. At the end of the surgery, a head dressing will be applied to your head and you will be taken to the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit where you will be observed closely. You will be moved back to your room in 1-2 days.

Is AVM a disability?

Getting Disability for Arteriovenous Malformation AVM is not a condition that is listed by the Social Security Administration (SSA), but the complications of an AVM rupture can still qualify a person for benefits.

How do you get an AVM?

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) happen when a group of blood vessels in your body forms incorrectly. In these malformations, arteries and veins are unusually tangled and form direct connections, bypassing normal tissues. This usually happens during development before birth or shortly after.

Can I exercise with an AVM?

If there are no symptoms or almost none, or if an AVM is in an area of the brain that can’t be easily treated, conservative management may be called for. These patients are advised to avoid excessive exercise and stay away from *blood thinners like warfarin.

Does AVM show up on MRI?

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI is more sensitive than CT and can show more subtle changes in brain tissue associated with a brain AVM. MRI also provides information about the exact location of the malformation and any related bleeding in the brain, which is important for determining treatment options.

What is the best treatment for AVM?

The main treatment for AVM is surgery. Your doctor might recommend surgery if you’re at a high risk of bleeding. The surgery might completely remove the AVM. This treatment is usually used when the AVM is in an area where surgeons can remove the AVM with little risk of causing significant damage to the brain tissues.


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