Transcatheter Embolotherapy of Maternal Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations During Pregnancy

To determine if transcatheterembolotherapy is safe and effective for the treatment of pulmonaryarteriovenous malformations during pregnancy. Prospective study. Specialized hereditaryhemorrhagic telangiectasia centers at Yale University School of, Medicine and St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto. Seven pregnant women (age range, 24 to 34 years; gestational age range, 16 to 36 weeks) undergoing transcatheterembolotherapy. Transcatheterembolotherapy in all patients. Thirteen pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in sevenpatients were embolized with detachable silicone balloons and/orstainless steel coils without incident. The estimated fetal radiationdose ranged from < 50 to 220 mrad. No complications of pulmonaryarteriovenous malformations occurred in any of the patients aftertranscatheter embolotherapy. The mothers went on to deliver healthybabies in all cases. Transcatheterembolotherapy of maternal pulmonary arteriovenous malformationsperformed by an experienced radiologist appears to be safe andeffective after 16 weeks of gestational age.