About 10% of cases in which excess bleeding (hemorrhage) is the first symptom are deadly. Some patients may have permanent seizures and brain and nervous system (neurological) problems.

AVMs that do not cause symptoms by the time people reach their late 40s or early 50s are more likely to remain stable and rarely cause symptoms.

• Brain damage
• Intracerebral hemorrhage
• Language difficulties
• Numbness of any part of the face or body
• Persistent headache
• Seizures
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• Vision changes
• Water on the brain (hydrocephalus)
• Weakness in part of the body

Possible complications of open brain surgery include:

• Brain swelling
• Hemorrhage
• Seizure
• Stroke

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have:

• Numbness in parts of the body
• Seizures
• Severe headache
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Other symptoms of a ruptured AVM

Also seek medical attention if you have a first-time seizure, because AVM may be the cause of seizures.

Images

Arteries of the brain

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Review Date: 11/04/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)