Decision-Making for Patients With Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a complex and heterogeneous pathology which require an understanding of the natural history of these lesions, as well as the potential treatment options in order to manage them safely. While treatment is the agreed upon strategy for most ruptured AVMs, the management of unruptured AVMs continues to be debated. More recently, this debate has been fueled by the A Randomized Trial of Unruptured Arteriovenous Malformations (ARUBA) trial which attempts to define the natural history and treatment risk of AVMs. However, the trial has significant shortcomings which limit its broad applicability. In addition, the breadth, efficacy, and safety of potential treatment options continue to improve. This review focuses on defining the natural history of cerebral AVMs, an overview of the ARUBA trial, and the most current treatment paradigm for cerebral AVMs.