Does Invasive Therapy for AV Malformations Affect Seizure Rates?

Evidence is conflicting on whether invasive treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) increases or reduces the risk for subsequent seizures and epilepsy. To address this question, researchers conducted a prospective observational study of 219 patients with brain AVMs that were treated either conservatively or with one of three general categories of invasive therapy: surgery, embolization, or stereotactic radiosurgery. Median follow-up was 9 years per person. Half the patients presented with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and about one quarter with epileptic seizures.

The 5-year risk for a first seizure was not significantly different between the invasive and conservative treatment groups, whether among those who had presented wit…