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	Related conditions   - Acoustic neuroma   - Alzheimer's disease   - Stroke   - Carpal tunnel syndrome   - Trigeminal neuralgia   - Epilepsy   - Whiplash   - Hydrocephalus   - Restless leg syndrome   - Multiple sclerosis   - Dementia   - Parkinson's disease   - Vertebral fracture   - Peripheral neuropathy

Treatment for arteriovenous malformation

AVMs can be diagnosed with an angiogram in which a thin flexible tube is inserted into an artery and guided to the AVM. A contrast dye is then introduced which reveals the AVM on X-ray. Sometimes computed tomograpy (CT or CAT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used for diagnosis.

Medications can relieve some AVM symptoms, but surgery is the definitive treatment. Conventional surgery involves entering the brain or spinal cord and removing the central part of the AVM. Minimally invasive state-of-the-art techniques are also available, particularly for AVMs deep inside the brain.

Embolization, through a neuroendovascular treatment, involves closing off the AVM blood vessels by injecting glue into them or placing coils or tiny balloons there. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a scalpel-free procedure utilizing a gamma knife to focus radiation on the AVM.

Over a period of months, the blood vessels of the AVM then degenerate and eventually close. The type of treatment depends upon the size and location of the AVM, surrounding critical structures, and the patient's general health and well-being.