Clinical Study on the Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformation

Lee, Mou Seop; Wang, Kyu Chang; Han, Dae Hee

Abstract

For better understanding and management of intracranial arteriovenous malformation(AVM), a retrospective clinical study was performed on 87 patients with intracranial AVM during the period from February 1980 to August 1986. The 54 patients managed conservatively and the 33 patients treated surgically were followed for an average of 13.7 months. Followings are the results : 1) The age range of presentation of intracranial AVM was 10 months to 52 years, with peak incidence from second to third decade. 2) The presenting symptoms were hemorrhage (51.7%), seizure (31%), and headache (6.9%) in order of frequency. In hemorrhage, intracerebral hematoma was most frequent and in seizure, generalized seizure was most frequent. 3) The location of intracranial AVM was hemispheric (71.3%), deep seated (17.2%), posterior fossa (8%), and dural location (3.5%) in order of frequency. 4) Concomitant aneurysm was found in 5 cases (5.7%). 5) In small intracranial AVM, 85% was presented with hemorrhage, and in large intracranial AVM, 59% with seizure. 6) The clinical outcome according to age was not different statistically between children and adults. 7) The incidence of rebleeding was 20% (9 of 45), and the mortality due to rebleeding was 22.2% (2of 9). 8) The clinical outcome for patients presenting with hemorrhage is worse than that for patients presenting with seizure. 9) The clinical outcome for patients managed surgical was more favorable than that for patients managed conservatively.