Occlusion of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations by use of vascular plug.

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations are commonly treated by embolization with coils or balloons to prevent cerebral complications and to raise the oxygenation of the blood. The Amplatzer vascular plug is a new occlusive device made of a self-expanding cylindrical nitinol mesh. It is fast and safe to position, and can be repositioned before final delivery. It is especially suited for embolization of large high-flow vessels as in pulmonary arteriovenous malformations with big feeding arteries. Two cases of successful use of the new device for treatment of large pulmonary arteriovenous malformations are described.