Brain Arteriovenous Malformation | Kate’s Story

When Kate was unable to wake up one morning, her family sought emergency care. An MRI revealed a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) — a dangerous tangle of blood vessels that connects arteries and veins in the brain. Johns Hopkins cerebrovascular neurosurgeon Justin Caplan performed multiple embolizations on the AVM and later surgically removed it. A follow-up angiogram one year after the surgery showed that the AVM was completely gone. Kate has a newfound love of the medical field and is working as a medical research coordinator.