Treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations: a combined neurosurgical and neuroradiological approach.

It is believed that surgical excision of arteriovenous malformations is the best treatment when technically feasible without causing significant damage to adjacent brain. The introduction of polymers or particulate emboli by catheter has been used either alone or as an adjunct in attempts to reduce the size of these lesions prior to surgery; however, it is seldom possible to embolize the entire malformation. The authors have used direct injection of a 50% mixture of bucrylate and iophendylate into the feeding arteries supplying the area at craniotomy, with success in three cases. The cases are described to illustrate the method.