[Role of embolization in the emergency treatment of ruptured cerebral arteriovenous malformations].

Embolization of cerebral arterio-venous malformations (A.V.M.s) is nowadays recognized as belonging to the therapeutic panel applied to these lesions. After an hemorrhagic accident, embolization is most often performed several weeks later. We report three cases of intracerebral hematoma due to A.V.M. rupture (cortico-ventricular rolandic, lateral ventricle subependymal, cortical anterior temporal A.V.M.s). These were treated by endovascular methods, using fluid material (N.B.C.A.), in emergency or semi emergency (hours, days). This had been done for direct preoperative purposes or medical reasons (heparinization in thrombophlebitis). If, at Bicêtre, the treatment of A.V.M.s by embolization is daily performed, this type of emergent treatment is rare (3 cases on the 350 patients treated till now). No complication was reported for these three patients. The efficiency of such an "emergent procedure" is unknown and cannot be compared to similar experiences. The empiric data we obtained make us think that embolization, necessarily done without heparin, is possible and may constitute an important help to surgery without delaying it. It reduces the risk of rebleeding by targetting the treatment on angio-architectural weakness points (false aneurysms). It redistributes the arterial blood, lowers the venous hyper-pressure, improves the locoregional perfusion and finally leads to a better final neurological status.