Definition:

An Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) is an abnormal collection of blood vessels. Arteries carry blood containing oxygen from the heart to the brain, and veins carry blood away from the brain and back to the heart. When an AVM occurs, a tangle of blood vessels in the brain or on its surface bypasses normal brain tissue and directly diverts blood from the arteries to the veins. These blood vessels are usually "weakened" and can dilate or burst causing bleeding into the brain.

Treatments Available include:

• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Stereotactic Radiosurgery
• Neuro-interventional Radiology

For more information:

• American Society of Neuroradiology
• National Institite of Neurological Disorders and Stroke