A Population-Based Study of Brain Arteriovenous Malformation

Abstract

We find no evidence of a substantial undiagnosed reservoir of nonsymptomatic BAVM. All BAVM are potentially hazardous. The great majority of BAVM patients become symptomatic during the patient's lifetime, and the majority will bleed. The risk of first hemorrhage is lifelong and rises with age. Compared with earlier population-based series, our low overall patient mortality is predominantly due to higher proportions of active treatment in the 1980s and 1990s.