Brain, Vol. 123, No. 1, 190-192,
January 2000
© 2000 Oxford University Press
Book reviews |
ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATIONS IN FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF THE BRAIN.
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Neurochirurgische Universitatsklinik, Bonn, Germany
For Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs) in so-called `non-eloquent' brain regions, the therapeutic regimen is rather straightforward unless they are giant (>6 cm): in experienced hands microsurgical removal has the highest success rates with regard to complete AVM elimination as well as to associated morbidity when compared with the other treatment modalities. In patients with giant AVMs or with AVMs in `eloquent' (i.e. functional) regions, however, morbidity—transient and permanent—may be high. They may be subject to various therapeutic options from microsurgery or radiosurgery alone to combined approaches (e.g. embolization + radiosurgery or embolization + microsurgery + radiosurgery) depending on size and location. It needs to be pointed out that even in these difficult lesions the ultimate goal of any therapeutic approach in AVM patients remains complete DSA-controlled obliteration of the AVM in order to avoid subsequent rupture with the potential for life-threatening bleeding.
Few books deal with cerebral AVMs in detail, and
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