Arteriovenous malformations are vascular anomalies that shunt blood abnormally from arteries to veins without an intervening capillary bed.
Intracerebral hemorrhage represents the most devastating and potentially fatal complication of AVMs.
Three conditions are required for AVM radiosurgery to be considered a complete success. First, the AVM must be obliterated to eliminate the risk of AVM hemorrhage. Second, the patient must not sustain morbidity or mortality secondary to AVM bleeding prior to AVM obliteration. Third, radiation-associated complications must be avoided. Factors believed to be associated with successful AVM radiosurgery include AVM volume, AVM location, and age of the patient.