Surgical resection of scalp arteriovenous malformation: Case illustration

Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the scalp is a rare lesion whose natural history remains to be elucidated. The report describes a case of a patient with a history of minor head trauma who presented with spontaneous bleeding from the scalp due to a relatively small scalp AVM. Several imaging modalities were used to establish the diagnosis, map the vascular malformation, and plan management. The optimal treatment strategy for this type of lesion remains controversial. Based on the size of AVM and the number of feeding arteries, this patient was treated with complete surgical excision alone. The clinical course was good, without postoperative complication or recurrence. Three-dimensional computed tomography angiography (3D-CTA) was useful for diagnosis, management and follow-up of this small extracranial scalp AVM.