Management of arteriovenous malformations related to Spetzler-Martin grading system

• Published in: Journal of neurological surgery. Part A, Central European neurosurgery Vol. 73; no. 5; p. 307
• Main Author: Altay, Tamer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01-09-2012
• Subjects: Cerebral Angiography; Disease Management; Embolization, Therapeutic - methods; Humans; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations - classification; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations - pathology; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations - therapy; Microsurgery - methods; Neurosurgical Procedures - methods; Radiosurgery - methods
• ISSN: 2193-6323
• DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1315791

Advanced technology and improved understanding of the natural history of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) led to the reconsideration of the management of these lesions, which once comprised purely microsurgical removal. A multidisciplinary approach for both the evaluation and treatment of AVMs has gained acceptance within the past few decades. Treatment options for AVMs include surgical resection, embolization, or stereotactic radiosurgery, or any combination of these procedures. The risk of a chosen management strategy must include the sum of the risk of all the interventions applied to a given lesion, and this should be compared with the natural history of a given lesion in a particular clinical setting. Among all components of the multimodality treatment, however, microsurgical removal remains the definitive form of treatment.