# Pre-operative embolization and surgical resection of extracranial superficial arteriovenous malformations

## TL;DR

This paper presents a new treatment approach for vascular malformations by combining embolization and surgery, successfully used in three patients without complications.

## Contribution

The study introduces combined embolization and surgical resection as a novel treatment for localized superficial extracranial arteriovenous malformations.

## Key findings

- Three localized superficial extracranial AVMs were successfully treated with embolization and resection.
- No recurrence or complications like skin injury were observed in follow-up.
- This approach offers an alternative to existing treatment paradigms for AVMs.

## Abstract

Extracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are high-flow vascular malformations that are challenging entities to treat and are primarily managed with embolization alone. Single-stage embolization and resection is a technique occasionally used for treating intracranial arteriovenous malformations. This manuscript describes combined embolization and surgical resection for localized superficial extracranial AVMs by presenting three cases from our experience. A retrospective review of the medical records of patients in this series including clinical notes, procedural imaging, and follow-up documentation was performed. A total of three AVMs near the antecubital fossa, deltoid, and forehead were embolized and resected. There was no evidence of recurrence on follow-up imaging, and no complications were observed, specifically, overlying skin injury. Embolization and resection of localized superficial extracranial AVMs with overlying skin changes offer an alternative treatment option to existing paradigms.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42155-025-00606-2.