Arterio-venous malformation of the cervical spine

Arterio-venous malformations (AVM) of the CNS are considered uncommon lesions in childhood, but is a main cause for subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) of children. We report a case of a 14-year-old girl with an AVM localized in the cervical spine: after an acute event with SAH she shows the clinical features of a cervical myelopathy-syndrome. MRI and selective angiography show an AVM, originating from the right vertebral artery. Patients with AVM have a higher incidence of recurrent bleeding with SAH, hematomyelia or infarction and even cord compression. This grave sequel makes it necessary to treat AVM e.g. with embolization.