AVM & aneurysm - Radiation or surgery?
Hi everyone, I’m hoping to hear from people with experience with AVMs & aneurysms.
My dad is 70 and was diagnosed with a high-flow cerebellar AVM in the superior cerebellar vermis with multiple associated aneurysms in the superior cerebellar artery. He previously had a subarachnoid hemorrhage/brain bleed and now has some left-sided deficits and balance issues.
The doctors gave us 2 options:
- Coiling/embolisation + open surgery to remove the AVM
- Coiling the larger aneurysms first, then radiation
The neurosurgeon said surgery has around a 90–95% cure rate but with around a 5–10% major complication risk. Radiation has lower upfront risk, but may take 3–4 years to fully work and has around a 70% chance of complete obliteration.
We are struggling to decide between surgery vs radiation and would really appreciate hearing from anyone who experienced something similar, especially regarding recovery, balance, and long-term outcomes.
Thank you.