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What Is a Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)?

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  • What Is a Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)?
    • What is spinal arteriovenous malformation

    What Is a Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)?

    By: Timothy T. Roberts, M.D. FAAOS

    Dr. Roberts earned his Doctorate of Medicine from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. He completed his orthopedic residency at Albany Medical College. Dr. Roberts then went on to complete the neurosurgery/orthopaedic spine surgery-combined fellowship at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic. Following graduation, Dr. Roberts worked for several years in a large private practice in Florida, but has since returned to his native New York.

    AVMs are abnormal clusters of arteries and veins located within the brain or spinal cord. The blood flow in AVMs is abnormal since the blood rapidly flows from a complex of feeding arteries directly into a network of draining veins, bypassing the smaller capillary network of vessels that normally connects the arterial and venous circulations. This abnormal blood flow places significant hemodynamic stresses on the blood vessels and can alter oxygen delivery to surrounding tissues.

    What Causes a Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)?

    Most spinal AVMs are believed to arise during embryonic and fetal development. Therefore, patients with AVMs likely have had them since birth. A small subset of spinal AVMs, such as spinal dural fistulas, may actually develop later in life for reasons that are not well understood.

    How Is a Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) Diagnosed?

    Typically a spinal AVM presents with back pain, sensory loss and weakness in the arms and/or legs that progresses over a period of months to years. The first test to evaluate the patient is usually spinal MRI or CT myelography. Often these initial screening tests will demonstrate dilated blood vessels around the spinal cord and even within the spinal cord. The next step is to obtain a spinal angiogram to study the anatomy of the AVM, which is a critical step in determining treatment options.

    How Is a Spinal Cord Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) Treated?

    The treatment options for a spinal AVM include endovascular occlusion, surgical excision or a combination of both. The therapeutic approach depends greatly on the anatomic features of the malformation.