DEVELOPMENT OF A HUGE VARIX FOLLOWING ENDOVASCULAR EMBOLIZATION FOR CEREBELLAR ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATION - A CASE-REPORT

We report on the case of a huge varix that developed after the endovas cular embolization of a cerebellar arteriovenous malformation (AVM) wi th a single drainer. A 21-year-old male presented with trigeminal neur algia which was caused by the dilated drainer of the AVM. A varix was found at the basal vein of Rosenthal 2 months after an initial stage o f embolization with polyvinyl alcohol particles; it diminished after t he surgical extirpation of the AVM. The varix formation might have bee n facilitated by the stenosis in the vein of Galen and by the dynamic changes that followed the embolization. This rare complication should be kept in mind when embolization is performed for AVMs with impaired venous outlets.