Arteriovenous malformations of the posterior fossa.

AVMs of the posterior fossa are reviewed on the basis of personal experience of 47 cases including 2 venous angiomas, 7 cavernous angiomas, 5 arteriovenous fistulas and 33 true arteriovenous malformations and of the few series reported in the literature. MRI is now an indispensable tool to define the exact localization of any malformation. Combined with angiography, it permits one to choose the most adequate therapeutic strategy and the best surgical approach. Radical cure is to be contemplated in most cases considering the often dramatic consequences of bleeding at the infratentorial level. Deep AVMs and moreover cavernous angiomas, even those located in highly functional structures such as the brain stem, can now be discussed for treatment. Encouraging results have already been obtained using, alone or in association, the recently advanced modalities of treatment: interventional neuroradiology, radiosurgery, and microsurgery.