Pediatric arteriovenous malformation: University of Toronto experience using stereotactic radiosurgery.
BACKGROUND
Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are congenital vascular lesions of the brain, which behave differently in pediatric population compared to adults. Treatment of pediatric AVMs includes a combination of microsurgery, embolization and radiation therapies. However, the role of radiosurgery in the treatment of pediatric AVMs is not fully accepted because of concerns regarding the long-term effects of radiation on the pediatric brain.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, we review our experience at the University of Toronto with treating pediatric AVMs using linear accelerator-based (LINAC) radiosurgery over the past 15 years. We report our results, obliteration rates, and complications on a total of 40 patients. In addition, we provide a review of series published to date combined with our own results to determine whether radiosurgery is a safe and reasonable treatment modality for pediatric AVMs.
Zadeh
Gelareh
G
Division of Neurosurgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (SHSC), Suite A129, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada.
Andrade-Souza
Yuri M
YM
Tsao
May N
MN
Scora
Daryl
D
Armstrong
Derek
D
Humphreys
Robin
R
Rutka
James
J
Drake
James
J
Dirks
Peter
P
Schwartz
Michael L
ML
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000601:surgery*; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D010372:Pediatrics; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome