Excision of an arteriovenous malformation.

Arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are congenital vascular lesions consisting of direct communications between associated arteries and veins without an interposed capillary bed. These vessels are typically thin walled, lack an internal elastic intima, and are quite prone to hemorrhage. A previously healthy 17-year-old woman presented with severe, persistent headache. After undergoing computed tomography (CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the patient was diagnosed as having an intracranial arteriovenous malformation. The anesthetic management of this patient included induction with sodium thiopental and sufentanil. General anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in oxygen and a continuous intravenous infusion of sufentanil. Neuromuscular blockade was established prior to endotracheal intubation with vecuronium and maintained with a combination of metocurine and pancuronium. The sufentanil infusion was discontinued when vascular isolation of the AVM had been accomplished. The isoflurane was discontinued 30 minutes prior to skin closure. Neuromuscular blockade was then antagonized with neostigmine and glycopyrrolate. Spontaneous ventilation resumed when the patient's arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) was allowed to normalize. The hemodynamic character of this anesthetic course was smooth and uneventful. The patient emerged from anesthesia comfortable and lucid and experienced no perioperative anesthetic complications.