The 10 Symptoms of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation!

The 10 Symptoms of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation that many ignore. Also, Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation  (AVM) is a tangle of abnormal blood vessels that connect arteries and veins in the brain . Arteries are responsible for taking oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the brain . Veins carry oxygen-filled blood back to the lungs and heart. A brain AVM interrupts this vital process. A Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation can develop anywhere in the body, but most often occurs in the brain or spine.

Even so, Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations are rare and affect less than 1% of the population. The cause of AVMs is unclear. Most people are born with them, but they can occasionally form later in life. They are rarely passed between families genetically. Some people with Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation have signs and symptoms, such as a headache or seizures.

Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations are commonly found after a brain scan for another health issue or after blood vessels rupture and cause bleeding in the brain (hemorrhage). Once diagnosed, a brain AVM can be successfully treated to prevent complications such as brain damage or strokes.

Causes of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation:  The cause of  Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation  is unknown, but researchers believe that most AVMs of the brain emerge during fetal development. Normally, your heart sends oxygen-rich blood to your brain through your arteries.

Arteries slow blood flow by passing it through a series of progressively smaller networks of blood vessels, ending with the smallest blood vessels (capillaries). Capillaries slowly deliver oxygen through their thin, porous walls to the surrounding brain tissue. Oxygen-depleted blood passes into small blood vessels and then into larger veins that drain blood from your brain , returning it to your heart and lungs for more oxygen.

The arteries and veins of a Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation lack this support network of smaller blood vessels and capillaries. Instead, the abnormal connection causes blood to flow quickly and directly from your arteries into your veins, bypassing surrounding tissues. So, check now  The 10 Symptoms of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation:

Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation Symptoms:  An arteriovenous malformation may not cause signs or symptoms until the Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation ruptures , resulting in bleeding into the brain  (hemorrhage). In almost half of all Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations , bleeding is the first sign.

But some people with Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation may experience signs and symptoms in addition to AVM-related bleeding. In people without bleeding, signs and symptoms of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation may include:

• seizures
• Headache or pain in an area of ​​the head
• Muscle weakness or numbness in one part of the body

Some people may experience more serious neurological signs and symptoms depending on the location of the Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation , including:

• severe headache
• Weakness, numbness or paralysis
• vision loss
• difficulty speaking
• Confusion or inability to understand others
• extreme instability

Symptoms can start at any age, but usually emerge between the ages of 10 and 40. Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations can damage brain tissue over time. The effects build up slowly and often cause symptoms in early adulthood. Once you reach middle age, however, Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations tend to remain stable and are less likely to cause symptoms. Some pregnant women may have worsened symptoms due to changes in blood volume and blood pressure.

A serious type of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation , called a Galen’s vein defect, causes signs and symptoms that emerge shortly or immediately after birth. The main blood vessel involved in this type of brain AVM can cause fluid to build up in the brain and the head to swell. Signs and symptoms include swollen veins that are visible on the scalp, seizures, failure to thrive, and congestive heart failure.

Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation  Treatments : There are several potential treatment options for  Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation l. The main goal of treatment is to prevent bleeding, but treatment to control seizures or other neurological complications may also be considered.

Your doctor will determine the most appropriate treatment for your condition, depending on your age, health, and the size and location of abnormal blood vessels. Medications can also be used to treat symptoms caused by AVM, such as a headache or seizures. Surgery is the most common treatment for Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation . There are three different surgical options for treating Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation :

Surgical Removal (Resection): If the brain AVM has bled or is in an area that can be easily reached, surgical removal of the AVM via conventional brain surgery may be recommended. In this procedure, your neurosurgeon temporarily removes part of the skull to gain access to the AVM.

With the help of a high-powered microscope, the surgeon erases the AVM with special clips and carefully removes it from the surrounding brain tissue. The surgeon then retracts the skull bone and closes the scalp incision. Drying is usually done when the AVM can be removed with little risk of hemorrhage or seizures. AVMs that are in deep regions of the brain have a higher risk of complications. In these cases, your doctor may recommend other treatments.

Endovascular Embolization: In this procedure, your doctor inserts a long, thin tube (catheter) into an artery in your legs and travels up through blood vessels to your brain using X-ray imaging. The catheter is positioned in one of the arteries supplying the AVM and injects an embolic agent, such as small particles, a glue-like substance, microcoils, or other materials, to block the artery and reduce blood flow to the AVM.

Endovascular embolization is less invasive than traditional surgery: It can be performed alone but is often used before other surgical treatments to make the procedure safer by reducing the size of the AVM or the likelihood of bleeding. In some large brain AVMs , endovascular embolization can be used to reduce stroke symptoms by redirecting blood back to normal brain tissue.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS): This treatment uses precisely focused radiation to destroy the Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation . It is not surgery in the literal sense because there is no incision. Instead, the SRS directs many highly targeted beams of radiation into the AVM to damage blood vessels and cause scarring. Scarred AVM blood vessels then slowly clot one to three years after treatment.

This treatment is most appropriate for small Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations that are difficult to remove with conventional surgery and for those that have not caused life-threatening bleeding. If you have few or no symptoms, or if your AVM is in an area of ​​your brain that is difficult to treat, your doctor may prefer to monitor your condition with regular checkups.