Overview
A brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a tangle of blood vessels that creates irregular connections between arteries and veins in the brain.
Arteries take oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the brain. Veins carry oxygen-depleted blood back to the lungs and heart. A brain AVM disrupts this vital process.
An arteriovenous malformation can develop anywhere in the body, but common locations include the brain and spinal cord. Overall, brain AVMs are rare.
The cause of brain AVMs isn’t clear. Most people who have them are born with them, but they can form later in life. Rarely, AVM can be a trait passed down in families.
Some people with brain AVMs experience symptoms such as headaches or seizures. A brain AVM may be found after a brain scan for another health issue. Sometimes a brain AVM is found after the blood vessels burst and bleed, known as a hemorrhage.
Once diagnosed, a brain AVM can be treated to prevent complications such as brain damage or stroke.
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