PRELIMINARY-REPORT - INTRATUMORAL LIGATION AS A SALVAGE PROCEDURE FORTHE MANAGEMENT OF LIFE-THREATENING ARTERIOVENOUS-MALFORMATIONS

Arteriovenous malformations are rare, high flow vascular anomalies whi ch are frequently difficult to manage. Treatment options include embol isation and/or surgery, the latter ranging from proximal ligation (now discredited) through to radical resection. The Popescu technique of i ntratumoral ligation was used to treat 3 patients with massive, life-t hreatening arteriovenous malformations which were considered unsuitabl e for embolisation therapy or surgical resection. The main complicatio ns experienced were soft tissue swelling and necrosis, transient perip heral nerve entrapment and haemorrhage. The preliminary results have b een encouraging and suggest that effective palliation and control can be achieved; 1 patient has no clinically demonstrable recurrence nearl y 3 years after surgery.