My son needs to have his embolization done at UCLA because USC does not do this procedure under age 14. The Dr. says he could have a stroke, but will not know until he wakes up. He is to stay at UCLA to monitor the embolization results, and later be transferred to USC for the actual surgery. Does this sound okay/right? Dr. said his AVM is a 4 out of 6 / high grade. Has anyone had a similar experience?
Hi Amy. Is Dr. Martin on the team? He was affiliated with UCLA at one point. He and Dr. Spetzler were the two doctors who developed the Grading System for AVMs. They know AVMs there. I know that at age 14 your son is still considered a pediatric patient. His brain is developing.
You can used the search box at the top of right hand corner of the page and type in USC and see what pops. I would recommend typing in the words grade 4 too.
Please keep us posted and I will be praying for you and your son!
Barbara, Thanks for pointing out the search box. I found it very helpful. It lead me to some good articles about the grading scale and more about the embolization procedure. Although now I'm more nervous than ever that a grade 4 makes for a risky operation, I am confident in what I have learned about the competence & expertise of the USC staff. Because of Michael's age, I believe that the risk of surgery outweighs the risk of him living the rest of his life with a chance of re-bleed. I pray not only for my son, but for the Doctors, too.
Thanks for helping me.