Brain Arteriovenous Fistula: Diagnosis and Treatment | Viktor Szeder, MD, PhD | UCLAMDChat 

I had an embolization done 5 yrs ago and it's still working! I will have another MRI done soon to check again that it's all good!

Dr. Szeder is my family! :)

I was diagnosed with a dAVF, but I am not sure which type and which happened 2 times, with the 2nd, worse than the 1st. It all began on April 15, 2024. (10 Days before my 65th Birthday) At the time of the 1st one, I told my wife, and she said to get to the hospital, but we had things to do. I felt okay, a little dizzy, but nothing I felt was over concerning. The 2nd and worst one was May 31st, 2024. The first was just after a bowel movement and I was sitting down, where I had numbness in my right arm and hand as well as my right leg and foot and had tingling in each, and my vision darkened and I had yellow bubbles exploding around the outer edges of my eyes. I cleaned up and sat down in my chair feeling unwell, but nothing too severe. I went to bed, put on my CPAP machine and went to sleep for a bit. I had a bit of dizziness but did what I had to do that day, and went to the hospital that evening. They did a CT Scan, and originally thought I had some form of a stroke, but had no residue or blockage, so they thought it might have been a TIA (I hope that is the acronym) for stroke-like symptoms. An MRI on my birthday gave them more detailed information about what was happening. I was also off work (drove a truck) for about 30 days and went back to work for 2 weeks at the end of May 2024. The 2nd was again after a bowel movement (May 31, 2024), and I stood up flushed and washed up when I was hit with a very loud TING (Tinnitus) in my ears, and a sudden rush of heat throughout my head. I could feel myself going down and convulsing. My washroom is not very big, and I called my wife she came over to see my dilemma and asked if she should call the ambulance, where I said..."YES". When the crew came over, they took the door down and I had to move myself out of the washroom, (Which felt like I was dragging a ton, out of the washroom and into the hall). it was from there, I remember the ride to one hospital and then to another because they were not able to look after brain issues. And I ended up at St. Michaels in Toronto. From there I don't remember much, I know my wife received a call from the doctors saying they had to enter my brain, and my wife said, my husband would have said, "You do what you need to do, to keep me alive" and she gave the okay. As much as I don't remember much, I was told they placed a coil in my brain from my groin and placed a solidifying goop around a vein that killed off the vein and allowed the flow to be more controlled. According to the doctors, I had an enormous amount of blood that came out of a drain they also placed in my head until the fluids became more normal, a darker brownish colour or something like that. I was transferred to another hospital once everything had settled and came out of the hospital about 6 to 7 weeks after I went in. My knees are arthritic and because of the long time in the hospital with no therapy until about a week before I was released, I have a hard time walking and looking forward to a knee replacement, which is a whole different story. As for my Fistula, my sister brought me back to St. Michael in Toronto in September 2024, for another MRI and told me I was cured. Enjoy my life... I still feel apprehension. Can it happen again... I've read a 1 in 3 chance of survival at the time of my 2nd bout, and I was told not to do weight lifting (Joke I think it was). But what about Yawning, or making love to my wife and the release, all of those cause a rush of blood to my brain. So my fear is my survival of another DAVF? Hell of a way to turn 65...LOL

Thank you for clear overview

Excellent explanation. I wish you had also mentioned possible complications and post-operatory recovery.

Thank you this very clear presentation

Thank you for this informative video Dr. Szeder. I wonder what you mean by "weakness apathy" and "failure to thrive" under the symptoms on 6:44? I had a craniotomy at age 11 to correct a dAVF, and am getting some tests done presently as I understand that dAVF can be resilient. Thank you again.

Hello Dr. Viktor, thank you so much for this explanation of the DAVF. My husband had a stroke on 6/15/20 and is having this surgery tomorrow. Your video was a blessing. Thank you again.

good video. thank you.

Excellent

Olá boa noite . Quero dizer que eu estou passando por esse momento de crise , pode me dizer se é seguro a cirurgia?

My dad is having this procedure in a few weeks. Amazing video. Thank you so very much.

I have it and I got this sharp pain everywhere it was so scary I did scan I’m going to see specialist and I’m really worried I had an accident and hit my head so so hard in the dashboard my airbag didn’t open since then had issues with my head been 5 years

Can a type 1be diagnosed with a ct scan with contrast dye?

Great video. Very detailed, informative and explained to us on a non-doctor level. I have started getting pulsatile tinnitus for 3 weeks. Went to my ENT earlier this week who ordered an MRA on my head and neck. Awaiting MRA results. Its probably nothing but my curiosity has me googling every possible cause.

Great video Dr. Had a grade 4+ Davf emblozation with onax. Still having issues. Would you look at my images. ???

Excellent explanation and demonstration. Did u say patients need another catheter angiogram 3 months after the p procedure?

Very nice sir, Actually I also got dural AVF(Rt frontotemporal), that was treated but feeders from right ophthalmic artery are left behind, after three months I was getting ocular symptoms and lt side pain but MRI angio is normal. What should I do??

Hi Dr , do DAVF come back? I mean, if you cure one, are you likely to develop another one later on?

Hi this is what my dad has and had open surgery to treat last year. The surgery was meant to stop his symptoms from progressing but wasn’t a cure which we understood. His main symptoms were numb legs and arms, difficulty walking due to weakened legs, tingling sensation in his arms and legs and shoulder pain along with pain in the previously mentioned areas. Throughout my research I haven’t seen anything to say it can affect mobility and the operation has not prevented his symptoms from worsening, although 6 months later he did have another angiogram to make sure another fistula hadn’t opened up and was all clear. Since then his walking is worse, his feet have swollen up at times and he gets a feeling in his foot where it feel rigid. Does anyone know anyone that could help in the UK or any other information? I know this condition is rare and only been researched within the last 25 years but I need to help my dad I can’t watch him suffer.

I had this DAVF fixed Back to 8 months ago, after they fixed, they damaged my 6 nerve palsy’s and my eyes has strabismus now