Spinal Arteriovenous Malformations
What is it?
Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) occur when the connections between the arteries and veins don’t form the right way, and the vessels become entangled. AVMs can occur anywhere in the body. When they happen in the spine, they are called spinal AVMs. Most people don’t even know that they have a spinal AVM. It is usually found during treatment or diagnosis for another condition.
Spinal AVMs can cause problems with circulation because they interfere with the body’s blood flow. Also, a serious condition may occur if they rupture and cause bleeding in surrounding areas. They can also cause symptoms by compressing spinal cord.
Symptoms
Spinal AVMs often don’t cause any symptoms, or they are minor and hard to notice. Rarely, the symptoms can be serious, such as muscles that feel weak, trouble walking, or poor control of bowel and bladder.
Diagnosis
Doctor may ask for the following tests to find out if the patient have a spinal AVM:
- MRI scans
- CT scans
Treatment
There are several treatment options for AVMs, depending on the location and type of AVMs and the symptoms they cause:
- Surgery to remove the AVM.
- Endovascular embolization is less invasive than surgery. A radiologist uses a catheter to inject an embolizing material to close off AVM vessels.
- Radiation therapy.