Table of Contents (click to jump to sections)

Is there any treatment?
There are three general forms of treatment for AVM: surgery; embolization, which involves closing off the vessels of the AVM by injecting glue into them (embolization is often used before surgery); and radiosurgery, which involves focusing radiation on the AVM.

What is the prognosis?
AVMs that hemorrhage can lead to serious neurological problems, and sometimes death. However, some people have AVMs that never cause problems.

What research is being done?
The NINDS conducts and supports a wide range of studies that explore the complex mechanisms of normal brain development. The knowledge gained from these fundamental studies provides the foundation for understanding how this process can go awry and, thus, offers hope for new means to treat and prevent congenital disorders including AVM.

Fact Sheet: Arteriovenous Malformations and Other Vascular Lesions of the Central Nervous System
Arteriovenous malformations and other vascular lesions of the central nervous system fact sheet, compiled by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).