Arteriovenous malformation in the mandible of a young child

Arteriovenous malformations rarely occur in the jaws, particularly in the very young child. The vascular and haemodynamic nature of the lesion is important in determining treatment and providing for a favourable prognosis, particularly in the high-pressure malformations. If the lesion is unstable and active, that is, there is enlargement, pain, bleeding or ulceration, successful treatment will depend upon early pre-operative embolization and surgical extirpation of the lesion. A 4-year old boy is presented who had a moderately active arteriovenous malformation of the left mandibular body. Angiography disclosed an arteriovenous malformation supplied by the inferior alveolar, lingual and facial arteries on the left side with no contralateral contribution. Pre-operative embolization via selective catheterization of the major arterial feeder was performed. Five days later, the involved portion of the mandible was resected and a corticocancellous bone-graft was placed. The 6-month follow-up disclosed no evidence of new arterial feeders or contralateral involvement.