Arteriovenous Malformations

Excerpt

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are abnormal fistulas between arteries and veins without an intervening capillary bed. High arterial flow directly into venous structures can lead to disruption of the venous walls and ultimately cause fatal hemorrhage. Intracranial AVMs are most commonly diagnosed during workup for an acute intracerebral hemorrhage but are also often found incidentally during the evaluation of conditions such as chronic headaches and seizures.

Cerebral AVMs are heterogeneous entities that differ significantly in size, location, feeding, and draining vessels. The most well-known classification system to describe them is the Spetzler-Martin grading scale. This system, initially described in 1986, uses the AVMs size, location in the eloquent or non-eloquent cortex, and description of either superficial or deep venous drainage to estimate surgical risk.