Quote:
Originally Posted by Cherie
AVM and aneurysm are very different. An aneurysm is a weakening in the wall of the vein or artery. The muscle actually deteriorates much as a tire develops a bubble before it pops. An AVM is merely a malformation in the arterio-venous connector (we have these connectors by the millions throughout our bodies). Very common. Rarely requires any treatment.
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Cherie...I'm reading that you believe aneurysms and AVMs are relatively common developments - they are not. Nor is an AVM always a simple "malformation". The malformation is often a tangled mass of abnormal vessels which can cause significant problems because it creates a "mass effect" - it physically compresses other structures within the brain. Not a simple matter. Yes, there are incidentally-discovered AVMs which are tiny and asymptomatic, but a
true AVM is much different and a lot more problematic.
This AVM is creating a huge area of edema, with a significant mass effect on the lateral ventricle:
I've seen quite a few of these. AVMs which are large enough to become symptomatic usually do require surgery.