Diagnosis and management of uterine arterio-venous malformations

Uterine arterio-venous malformations (AVM) are rare potentially life threatening lesions with only 17 cases reported previously. In the past treatment has been confined to hysterectomy, but this carries significant morbidity and in women of reproductive years is associated with considerable psychological distress. Recent reports have described successful treatment by embolization, with subsequent pregnancies indicating preservation of uterine function. We review the literature and describe three cases in whom the initial diagnosis of uterine AVM was suggested by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and who were successfully treated by selective particulate embolization.