I’m new to all this and have my information second hand. I’m hoping someone can help me out. My mother ruptured an unknown AVM last week and it was finally discovered on Friday evening. They just told her today it was a AVM and she’ll need emergency surgery. They may have found a another non ruptured in the back of her head. The burst AVM is in the front left of her brain. Because of Covid I can’t see her or talk to the doctors to get the full story. Can anyone tell me what I might expect?
This ruptured the night before she was supposed to retire.
I’m sorry for the trouble you both are having! There is a wealth of persons I’m sure you’re going to be introduced to. You are in a good spot here but also your local brain aneurysm foundation (https://bafound.org/). I hope she makes a full recovery.
Welcome to the board - unfortunately, not under the best of conditions of course
I was in ICU last year when mine ruptured right through COVID in July. I got to see my wife once for about 3-5 minutes before undergoing a embolization - and, that’s just because the OR nurse was such a nice person. Otherwise they didn’t want to let her through into the ICU.
I can’t ad much to what her condition or severity is - but, FaceTime saved me so much grief. I was on it prob way more than anyone wanted to hear from me - it’s the only way I could keep myself from completely freaking out, considering I was bedridden with a bed alarm.
The neurosurgeon team & ICU staff were my friends for over a week.
Please try your best to keep yourself & her calm - Our prayers & best wishes are with you both
I’m sorry your mum is so poorly (and classic bad timing, on the last day of work) though I retired last March and haven’t had a retirement celebration with my colleagues yet, due to the coronavirus situation, too.
In terms of what to expect, I hope she has been through the worst of it already, having had a bleed. Whatever damage that bleed has done may be the thing that she’ll need to recover from most. I hope so.
In terms of treating these things, it depends on how big it is, where it is and therefore whether it deserves treatment, the risks of treatment are lower than those of leaving it, etc. In general, if the AVM is very deep in the brain it is often best left alone; if it is elsewhere, one of three main treatments are used. These are
A “craniotomy” which is open surgery and the relevant vessels resected or clipped off.
“Embolization” which is to insert glue or coils or other blocking material into the AVM to stop it from presenting a future risk. This is done using a fine tube (catheter) usually inserted into an artery at the groin or the wrist, navigated up to the relevant area and the glue, coils etc injected at the site. This was the treatment that I had.
Radiotherapy. Where the vessels are quite small and/or inaccessible, radiotherapy may be used to zap the AVM without any incision. The radiotherapy causes the AVM to close up gradually over time.
Each of us have followed one of these options, sometimes two. Some of us are in the situation of not being able to have further intervention.
Brain surgery is scary but we are testament to the fact that it is very gettable-throughable. Ask anything you want. That’s what we are here for.
I’m so sorry to hear about your mom . It definitely isn’t an easy journey but the effects of the ruptured avm depend on where and what size the avm is. My husband had one rupture in his front righy lobe and sadly left him paralyzed on his left side. His leg just came back and hes walking with assistance but his arm is still healing so it’s taking time. I pray your mom is okay and she comes out with no effects.
Hi Captain, As usual I preface by saying I’m not close to being knowledgeable about modern AVM issues/practices.
I decided to go out on a risky limb to give you a different perspective. (I’m not suggesting you accept it.)
It’s natural to want to give/receive emotional support in rough times. There also may be benefit to gaining wisdom/strength in solitude. Some of the lessons I learned laying in bed alone and scared were gifts to treasure. Greg
