Association of cerebral arteriovenous malformation with cerebral arterial fenestration

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rarely associated with othe r vascular lesions. Our goal was to examine the incidence of the coexistenc e of cerebral AVMs and cerebral arterial fenestrations. During the past 18 years, 51 patients with a cerebral AVM were examined with selective cerebra l angiography in our institution. We retrospectively reviewed these cerebra l angiographies and noted associated cerebral arterial fenestrations. We fo und five fenestrations distributed among 3 patients. In each patient one fe nestration was located in the vertebral artery (VA). In 1 patient there wer e additional basilar and left middle cerebral artery fenestrations. Vertebr al artery angiography was performed in 43 of the 51 patients; thus, the fre quency of coexistence of AVM and VA fenestration was 7% (3 of 43). Although the clinical significance may not be great, we found a noteworthy incidenc e of associated VA fenestrations in AVM cases.