Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs)

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are clusters of abnormal blood vessels. When an AVM forms in the brain, it can interfere with the vital process where the veins and arteries carry blood to the lungs and heart.

Our aim is to treat AVMs before these blood vessels rupture. If a rupture does occur, it causes a stroke. Memorial Healthcare System offers comprehensive stroke care and the most innovative AVM treatment options.

AVM Care: Why Choose Memorial Healthcare System?

At Memorial Healthcare System, you will find:

  • Collaboration: Our team of neurosurgeons, neurointerventional surgeons, neuroradiologists, and radiation oncologists meet monthly to develop treatment plans and discuss care for our patients with AVM. Research has shown that patients who receive care from physicians of multiple specialties are more likely to have improved outcomes.
  • Leading research: Our neurointerventional surgery team participates in a high volume of clinical trials. This gives us the opportunity to be the first to implement new technologies and treatment options. Participating in so many studies is unique for a community hospital. This research gives us a high level of academic expertise not usually found at community health systems.
  • Timely treatment: We offer same-day appointments for new AVM diagnoses. Learning that you have an AVM can be frightening. We’re here to help put your mind at ease. Together, we’ll develop a treatment plan right away.
  • Patient- and family-centered care: At Memorial Healthcare System, we put you and your family first. We give you a clear point-of-contact during your first visit. This person is here to support you and your family throughout your treatment and recovery.
  • Comprehensive services: When you undergo neurosurgery or neurointerventional surgery with us, you won’t need to go anywhere else for follow-up care. We offer the full spectrum of neurology services, including neuro rehabilitation to help you as you recover from your surgery.

AVM Overview

Arteries play a crucial role in carrying blood that is full of oxygen from the heart to other important parts of the body. Veins have an equally important role in taking that blood from critical organs back to the heart. When an AVM forms, a person has a tangled cluster of arteries and veins that interrupts these vital processes.

AVMs can form anywhere in the body. When they form in the brain, they are particularly concerning because of the risk of a stroke, or bleeding in the brain. Some people who have an AVM might experience symptoms, including:

  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Sudden seizures
  • Muscle weakness
  • Memory loss or confusion

AVM Care: What to Expect

Treatment for an AVM may include:

  • Radiation
  • Minimally invasive surgery
  • Neurosurgery

When you first step foot in one of our facilities, we evaluate you to determine a baseline for your AVM treatment plan. Our goal is to shrink the malformation enough that it can be treated with radiation or removed through surgery.

Your AVM treatment may involve a minimally invasive procedure making a few small incisions and inserting a catheter (a small tube) into the blood vessels. This catheter is used to plug up the vessels that are supplying the AVM, which significantly lowers the risk of a stroke.

During this procedure, a tiny high-definition camera is also inserted into the brain. The images it captures guide your neurosurgeons and help them make more precise movements.

Comprehensive Stroke Care

Patients who have an AVM diagnosis can visit our neurointerventional radiology team for treatment before a stroke or bleeding occurs.

If a stroke or hemorrhage does occur, Memorial Healthcare System offers treatment through our Comprehensive Stroke Centers and Primary Stroke Center. To achieve Comprehensive Stroke Center certification through The Joint Commission, health systems must:

  • Offer advanced imaging
  • Use the most innovative treatment options
  • Have a dedicated neurocritical care unit
  • Treat a high volume of patients
  • Participate in the latest research

Contact Us

Call us today to schedule a new appointment or follow-up visit at 954-265-9500.