Question 1

i had a brain avm removed 11 years ago & now have encephalomalacia which has seemed to get bigger over the years and causes seizures, is that normal?

Accepted Answer

Not uncommon: AVM can cause focal seizures and secondarily generalized seizures. Sometimes seizures occur years after surgery. Often seizures are well controlled with a single anticonvulsant

Question 2

have iron defiency anemia. my grandson had a brain avm that ruptured. could i have an  undiagnosed  avm that causes this?

Accepted Answer

Not really: First of all, iron deficiency anemia comes from losing enough blood over a long period of time to drop your blood counts.  This cannot happen from a brain avm or else you would have died a long time ago! second, you are not likely at any significant increased risk because your grandson had one.

Question 3

best procedure to treat brain avm?

Accepted Answer

Angiogram: Brain avm's can be classified by size, location and pattern of blood flow.  Depending on the class the treatment can be a combination of embolization (clogging the avm with glue), radiosurgery or standard brain surgery. You need to get an angiogram and have the neurosurgeon grade the avm.  This will give you your best answer.

Question 4

i have a brain avm, is there anything i should be extra careful with? i just want to be fully informed on it

Accepted Answer

Avoid straining: Avoid excessive straining which increases the pressure and blood pressure in the head.  I would speak to a neurosurgeon to discuss approaches to managing the AVM.

Question 5

how do exercise my fingers after brain avm?

Accepted Answer

Depends: What are your clinical symptoms? Weakness? Would see a physical therapist for specific therapy although hand stretching and squeezing exercises might help.

Question 6

is it safe for someone with a brain avm to engage in moderate physical exercise, for example brisk walking?

Accepted Answer

Brain AVM: Exercise is safe for patients with brain arteriovenous malformations if there are no associated brain aneurysms and there are no high venous pressures or venous constrictions. See a cerebrovascular neurosurgeon to obtain clearance for exercise.

Question 7

can see pulse in eyes after walking up a set of stairs. no high blood pressure. could it be normal or brain avm?

Accepted Answer

Opthalmologist: I recommend getting an examination by an ophthalmologist. AVM is one of the causes of this symptom. You may be referred to a neurologist after the eye examination or the ophthalmologist may order the appropriate tests.

Question 8

i was treated for a pulmonary avm that had been undetected for years. screened for brain avm & mri found chronic small vessel territory infarcts in left cerebellar hemisphere/chronic microvascular ischemic white matter changes. what is it? treatment?

Accepted Answer

Infarcts: In my experience the usual cause of these findings, which are often not symptomatic, is longstanding  hypertension of varying degree. A neurologist could evaluate and advise you further about these findings and their causes. I would strive for a blood pressure of no higher than 130/80 going forward.

Question 9

i have taken 81 mg aspirin for 8 years for blood clot prevention for brain avm. but i'm on lithium and a doctor said switch to fish oil to improve kidney function. he said fish oil is preferred treatment. can i switch? what's best dosage of fish oil?

Accepted Answer

I would not: Aspirin is an antiplatelet agent and for many of us is the treatment for blood clot prevention with your condition, As long as there’s no content Acacian to taking the aspirin.

Question 10

can a 2mm avm cause small bleeding in the brain?

Accepted Answer

AVM: A 2mm avm is an extremely small size avm and impressed they were able to find it on radiologic studies. An avm always has a risk of bleeding but if only 2mm in size this would be a low flow avm and the risks on the lower size. I would recommend followup in the future to make sure there is no growth in the avm as that would change the treatment.

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Doctor answers about:

Cause of brain avm

A member asked:

I had a brain avm removed 11 years ago & now have encephalomalacia which has seemed to get bigger over the years and causes seizures, is that normal?

A member asked:

Have iron defiency anemia. my grandson had a brain avm that ruptured. could i have an undiagnosed avm that causes this?

A member asked:

Best procedure to treat brain avm?

A member asked:

I have a brain avm, is there anything i should be extra careful with? i just want to be fully informed on it

A member asked:

How do exercise my fingers after brain avm?

A member asked:

Is it safe for someone with a brain avm to engage in moderate physical exercise, for example brisk walking?

A member asked:

Can see pulse in eyes after walking up a set of stairs. no high blood pressure. could it be normal or brain avm?

A member asked:

I was treated for a pulmonary avm that had been undetected for years. screened for brain avm & mri found chronic small vessel territory infarcts in left cerebellar hemisphere/chronic microvascular ischemic white matter changes. what is it? treatment?

A member asked:

I have taken 81 mg aspirin for 8 years for blood clot prevention for brain avm. but i'm on lithium and a doctor said switch to fish oil to improve kidney function. he said fish oil is preferred treatment. can i switch? what's best dosage of fish oil?

A member asked:

Can a 2mm avm cause small bleeding in the brain?

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