Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) Service

Welcome to the Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) Service

The pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (AVM) service treats people who have abnormal blood vessels called pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in their lungs. pulmonary arteriovenous malformation affect approximately 1 in 2,600 people. In most cases these are asymptomatic, but they can predispose to an increased risk of complications including stroke and brain abscesses.

The pulmonary arteriovenous malformation service has been running at MFT for over 15 years managing over 200 patients from around the Northwest of England. Our service is part of the NHS pulmonary AVM collaborative network.

What tests might I have?

You may need CT scan of your lungs. A CT scan can help establish if there are any pulmonary arteriovenous malformations present. You may also need blood tests.

A genetic condition called hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) can cause pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic condition which affects blood vessels. Individuals with HHT develop abnormal connections between small arteries and veins. These abnormal connections are known as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). These can develop in a number of different places in the body and can cause different problems depending on their location. These abnormal connections can occur in the lining of the nose and can cause nosebleeds. They can also occur in the gut, brain and lungs. Abnormal blood vessels (telangiectasia) may appear just underneath the skin and these may show as red or purple spots. We will discuss screening for this condition at your appointment. This involves blood tests and a referral to clinical genetics. We work closely with the clinical genetics team based at St Mary’s hospital in Manchester. We also work closely with the ENT service at Manchester Royal Infirmary as most patients with HHT are troubled by nosebleeds.

Possible treatment options

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations are treated by angiography under X-ray guidance. A catheter is put into a blood vessel in your groin and under X-ray guidance is passed along the blood vessel to the site of the pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. A contrast solution is injected through the catheter to outline the blood vessels and identify the pulmonary arteriovenous malformation. A small coil or plug is then inserted to block off the pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. In most cases this can be done under local anaesthetic and in many cases, it is done as a day case procedure, although for some patients we may advise an overnight stay in hospital.

Antibiotic cover is usually advised prior to dental procedures for patients who have or may have a pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in their lungs.

Our Team

You will be seen at your appointment jointly by a consultant respiratory physician and a consultant interventional radiologist. The service is run by Professor Andrew Jones (Consultant Respiratory Physician), Dr David Thompson (Consultant in Interventional Radiology), Dr Rosemary Cadwallader (Consultant in Interventional Radiology) and Dr Peter Jamieson (Consultant in Interventional Radiology).