TOTAL RECANALIZATION OF A SPONTANEOUSLY THROMBOSED ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATION

The authors describe what they believe to be the first case of an asymptomatic, totally recanalized arteriovenous malformation (AVM) demonstrated by angiography 31 months after complete spontaneous thrombosis. The AVM, which initially became symptomatic with bleeding, had a 2-cm diameter nidus that was located within the inferior aspect of the left frontal lobe and was fed by branches from the left anterior cerebral and anterior ethmoid arteries. A single draining vessel flowed from the nidus into the anterior superior sagittal sinus. The AVM was surgically extirpated after recanalization. The authors stress the necessity for follow-up care for angiographically ''cured'' AVMs.