Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and pulmonary arteriovenous malformations - Embolization with Amplatzer vascular plug

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) are associated to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia in about 70% of the cases. PAVMs are associated to serious neurologic complications, secondary to inherent paradoxical embolisms. Treatment of the malformations is done to prevent these complications. The authors report a clinical case of a patient with two PAVMs, with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, who was treated by embolization with an Amplatzer vascular plug, a new device increasingly used in these situations. The authors emphasise some of its characteristics and advantages when compared with other embolization techniques most commonly used.