Daily migraine with visual aura associated with an occipital arteriovenous malformation.

A 51-year-old woman with daily attacks of migraine with visual aura is described. The aura always occurred on the right and the headache always on the left side of the head, suggesting a structural lesion in the left occipital lobe. The lesion appeared to be an arteriovenous malformation of which almost full obliteration resulted in a decrease in frequency of the aura and in intensity of the headache. Subsequent treatment of borderline hypothyroidism with levothyroxine brought about a dramatic improvement in frequency of both the aura and the headache. The case is discussed in the light of our present understanding of the pathogenesis of the migraine attack.