Arteriovenous malformations of the posterior fossa: a report on 28 cases and review of the literature

Posterior fossa arteriovenous malformations are uncommon lesions accounting for between 7 and 18% of all intracranial arteriovenous malformations. They have a greater incidence of haemorrhage and a higher morbidity and mortality if untreated compared with those localized in the supratentorial compartment. We report our experience with 28 cases of posterior fossa arteriovenous malformations referred to the senior author between January 1971 and December 1993. The anatomy, symptomatology, treatment and results are discussed with regard to the most recent literature.