Stenosis of afferent vessels of intracranial arteriovenous malformations.

Four women are described with stenoses of the feeding arteries to cerebral arteriovenous malformations. These stenoses were hemodynamically significant in that the nidus malformations filled late in the arterial phase of angiography and the draining veins did not fill much earlier than the usual venous phase. In two of these patients, who were referred for possible embolization, the stenosis served as an impediment to balloon navigation in the feeding vessel in one and served as a partial contraindication to embolization in the other. It is possible that if these stenoses progress, they may lead to thrombosis of the arteriovenous malformations.