Management of Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations: Experience of the Neurosurgery Department of Specialty Hospital-Rabat

Abstract

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (cAVM) constitute an uncommon but serious neurovascular pathology due to the hemorrhagic risk linked to the natural evolution of the disease. Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are often revealed in young adults by several types of neurological symptoms, including epileptic seizures, recurrent headaches, progressive neurological deficits, or intracranial hemorrhages. The aim of this study is to report the experience of the neurosurgery department at the Specialty Hospital in RABAT, covering 30 consecutive cases of cerebral AVM treated surgically in our department. Highlight the epidemiological and semiological profile of this pathology; highlight the benefit of microsurgical treatment, as well as certain prognostic factors compromising the therapeutic result. This is a retrospective study of 30 cases of operated arteriovenous malformation collected over a period of 5 years in the neurosurgery department of the Specialty Hospital in RABAT. The total number of our patients is 30. The average age of patients is 40.5 years, with extremes of 16 years and 65 years. Among the 30 patients, 19 are male and 11 are female, for a sex ratio of 1.72. The average time to diagnosis was 3 months. Clinically, the main symptom remains headaches. Symptomatic treatment includes analgesic and antiepileptic treatments. Curative treatment is based on neurosurgery, embolization, and radiosurgery. The evolution was favorable in 91.6% of cases, with total recovery in 45.45% of cases, while 54.5% of cases retained after-effects such as motor deficit.