Arteriovenous malformations of the brain treated with gamma knife

The early effects of treatment with gamma knife radiosurgery for intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVM) were investigated in 25 children, 15 boys and 10 girls, aged 2 to 15 years (mean 11). Neurological signs were hemiparesis in 10, mental retardation in 2, etc. Initial events were hemorrhage in 23 (92%) and epilepsy in 2 patients. The locations of AVM were parietal lobe in 6, thalamus in 4 patients, etc. The mean diameter of the nidus was 1.97 cm, and the volume was under 10 cm3 in 21 cases. Of the 25 patients were classified as Grade II or higher by the Spetzler and Martin grading system. The mean maximum dose was 36.2 Gy, and marginal dose of 20.2 Gy with a mean isocenter of 3.2 were used. Follow-up angiography was performed more than one year after treatment in 7 patients. Five of the 7 (71.4%) showed complete obliteration of the AVM. No patients has had rebleeding after treatment so far, but one patient has had hemiparesis due to radiation-induced edema. Stereotactic radiosurgery by gamma knife is a preventive treatment of intracranial AVM in childhood. (author)