ANybody whose had an EMBO

i know Embo shrinks the AVM ...was just wondering how much percent of it was shrinked on the first try ?

Hi Kevin,

I think you raise the question that all of us think and/or asked. We asked several times and had a great deal of trouble getting the DRs to say a number. They all couched it as “It’s helping” or “we can see a change…”

Finally after embo #4, the Dr said 60% of her AVM was gone.

Keep asking.

Ron, KS

Hi Kevin,
I had 2 embos after the 2nd their was only 15% of the AVM left so after I had gamma knife.I’m not sure how much was removed/shrunk after the 1st embo.I don’t remember but my husband may.I do know that everbody is different and they respond to surgery & meds differently.I think it may also depend on the size of the AVM .After 2 embos & gamma knife you can’t see my AVM in an MRI anymore:) So i am know going in for my 10th angeo this year.I hope for the best but plan for the worst.

Guess I should have added:

The way the embo shrinks an AVM is it cuts off the blood flow to a portion of it. So depending on which vessel(s) they seal off with each embo will determine the % of shrinkage. I don't think it's have one embo, it shrinks the entire AVM by X%. So depending on which vessel they hit first, it might seal of a large part or a small part. Any of them might rupture, so they are all important to close off.

Ron, KS

Thank you. Kevin Just went into surgery this morning at around 730. The embo they did yesterday shrunk the AVM 75%. God does such miraculous things.Thank you all for all your prayers for Kevin.

So glad everything went well;)

Embolisations will merely treat the symptoms and not cure our avms:( Blood flow is redirected from the avm when feeders are blocked, however this is by no means a permanent fix. My understanding of the embolisation procedure is 1) Reduce blood loss during upcoming crainiotomy or 2) redirect blood supply to healthy parts of the brain where the avm is 'stealing' it.

I have had 4 embos in the last 16 months that almost completely relieved any left-side symptoms I was having:) (Limp, left-side weakness, worsened left-side hemianopsia) I was initially scheduled for Syberknife but declined. Also, interesting to note was the news that even though parts of my avm had been embolised(@50-60%?) the Cyberknife would still need to treat the embolised areas! Thus, embolization is merely a treatment for symptoms and an adjunct to future procedures, i.e. crainiotomy/radiation. Hope this info helps, I shared my knowledge of embolisations in a blog as well. Stay strong! -GK