[Mortality and morbidity after complete surgical removal of 162 intracranial arteriovenous malformations (author's transl)].

A series of 162 arteriovenous malformations (A.V.M.) surgically removed is reported. All patients had a post operative control angiogram showing that the lesion had been totally excised. Supra and infra tentorial A.V.M. are included in the series as well as conscious and comatous patients. The overall mortality has been 11.1% and the mortality in conscious patients has been 6.9%. Mortality is higher when the volume of A.V.M. is over 60 cm3 and when a rupture has occurred. The influence of the operation on epileptic seizures, motor, speech or visual fields deficits has been reviewed in 109 patients who answered to the survey. Morbidity has been higher in patients with a cerebral heamorrhage, therefore the authors advise to operate these patients before the rupture when, for instance, seizures represents the only clinical picture. C.A.T. scan in these epileptic patients is a remarkable investigation to track down A.V.M.