Spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM)

Spinal AVM care at Mayo Clinic

Collaboration at Mayo Clinic

At Mayo Clinic, neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists and other specialists work together as a multidisciplinary team to provide expert, individualized care to every person with spinal AVM. This means that you're not just getting one opinion — you benefit from the knowledge and experience of each specialist.

Close collaboration enables the team to have your test results available quickly and to coordinate all necessary appointments. Evaluation and treatment that might take weeks elsewhere can typically be done in only a matter of days at Mayo Clinic.

Your Mayo Clinic care team will take the time to explain and discuss all your treatment options. The team will develop an individualized treatment plan based on the location and size of the AVM, your risk of complications, and your overall health.

Expertise and technology

At Mayo Clinic, your AVM care team has the experience and knowledge to make accurate diagnoses and recommend the best treatment plan for you.

People with spinal AVM at Mayo Clinic have:

• An individualized experience. Mayo Clinic specialists are available under one roof and take the time to listen and respond to individual symptoms and conditions. This results in a more accurate diagnosis and detailed itinerary for each individual.
• Advanced imaging studies. MRIs and other types of imaging are crucial to effective treatment. Mayo Clinic neuroradiologists devote their careers to evaluating nervous system conditions. This deep experience results in more-accurate imaging and interpretation.
• Expert treatment. Mayo Clinic neurosurgeons have pioneered surgical techniques for AVM and provide a wide range of treatment options.

Research

With state-of-the-art research and laboratory facilities, Mayo Clinic experts are constantly seeking new medical knowledge and innovations for people with AVM. Today's research teams are studying potential treatments, including new surgical options, innovations in imaging technology and better ways to predict risk of hemorrhage in people with AVM.

A variety of clinical trials and other clinical studies may be available to you at Mayo Clinic.

Expertise and rankings

Experience

Mayo Clinic neurosurgeons have pioneered surgical techniques for spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and treat more than 190 people with this rare condition each year.

Imaging expertise

Mayo Clinic has radiologists who specialize in evaluating neurological disorders. These specialists have extensive experience distinguishing between spinal AVMs and other spinal lesions. This deep experience leads to more-accurate diagnoses and more-successful and appropriate treatment plans.

Mayo Clinic specialists also have access to the latest in 3D imaging, which may be used in spinal AVM surgery planning for optimal results.

Nationally recognized expertise

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, rank among the Best Hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Minnesota, and the five-state region of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2023-2024 "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings.

Learn more about Mayo Clinic's neurosurgery and neurology departments' expertise and rankings.

Locations, travel and lodging

Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:

Costs and insurance

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.

Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.