Dr. John D. Lipani is dedicated to helping patients maintain healthy brain and spine function by offering advanced neurosurgery in New Jersey. With his state-of-the-art techniques, Dr. Lipani's patients are offered surgical treatment options as well as non-invasive treatment options, which help patients avoid open brain or spine surgery procedures and/or potentially harmful radiation therapies.
An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the brain or spinal cord is an abnormal connection between arteries and veins. This abnormal connection develops during embryonic development or shortly after birth and can have widespread effects on the body. Arteriovenous malformation symptoms usually present themselves before the age of 50, although symptoms may occur at any time.
Patients with an arteriovenous malformation often experience seizures and headaches, as well as muscle weakness, loss of coordination, dizziness, visual disturbances, mental confusion and/or abnormal sensations. Symptoms may be associated with intracranial hemorrhage, a life threatening emergency. Mild symptoms can usually be managed with medication, but the most effective treatment is surgery, embolization, radiosurgery, or a combination of these.
To diagnose a cerebral arteriovenous malformation, a review of symptoms and a physical examination are necessary. In addition, a cerebral angiogram, CT scan or MRI/A may be ordered. Upon diagnosis, there are several treatments available based on the size and location of the abnormal blood vessels.
Surgical resection of small arteriovenous malformations can be both safe and effective. In this procedure, a part of the skull is removed temporarily to isolate the arteriovenous malformation with clips and remove it from the brain tissue. Alternatively, in an endovascular embolization, a catheter is inserted into an artery in the leg and fed through the body, to the brain to then inject a glue-like substance that will block the vessel.
Stereotactic radiosurgery is also available for small arteriovenous malformations and for those that have been incompletely removed or embolized. This procedure uses high dose radiation targeted precisely on the abnormal vessels to gradually cause a blood clot to form and destroy the arteriovenous malformation.
For more information about arteriovenous malformation treatment, contact the office of Dr. John D. Lipani at (609)-890-3400 today!
