FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will we be seeing one doctor or multiple doctors on the first visit?

At the AVM Center of New York at Lenox Hill, you will meet one doctor for an individual consultation. This physician will be primarily responsible for you or your child’s care, and this doctor will subsequently confer with other specialties.

Vascular anomalies are often medically complex, requiring input and treatments by a number of specialists. A multidisciplinary team approach will provide the best of care, coordinated among doctors of many specialties. Depending on the individual cases, specialists from interventional radiology, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, cardiology, hematology, dermatology, otolaryngology, opthalmology, orthopedics, physiatry, and other specialties may be involved.

Is a vascular malformation the same as a tumor?

No, vascular malformations are the result of a focal abnormality in the early development of the vascular system. They are not tumors in any sense of the word and cannot become malignant or to spread to other parts of the body.

Is this condition congenital or genetic?

Congenital malformations occur in a specific individual as a result of a local defect in blood vessel formation during embryonic development. They are not transmitted genetically. In other words, there is rarely any family history of vascular malformation and the individual will not pass that tendency on to his or her children. There are exceptions, such as Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT, Rendu Osler Weber Syndrome) and other unusual vascular syndromes which run in families.

Are these malformations curable?

There is a range of approaches and philosophies among physicians treating patients with vascular malformations. Some physicians will perform numerous procedures using aggressive techniques (and in our opinion, subject the patient to greater risks) to achieve a “cure,” meaning that the malformation has theoretically been completely eradicated with no evidence of residual either clinically or on radiologic studies.

Our approach is one where the goal is to solve the patient’s clinical problem, whether it be pain, swelling, orthopedic problems or cosmetic issues. We know the natural history of these conditions from infancy to adulthood and we try to solve the problem without taking undue risks – these are not malignancies and should not be treated as such. We do employ aggressive techniques in very severe malformations, but these situations are unusual. The fact is, no matter how aggressive the treatment, many malformations cannot be completely eliminated and there is always a risk of recurrence.

Should I be concerned about anesthesia for my child’s procedure?

The anesthesiologist’s goal is to provide the safest possible care. All of our pediatric procedures are performed under the care of a board certified pediatric anesthesiologist. The exact method of anesthesia may vary from patient to patient and will be discussed prior to the procedure, when all questions will be answered. One parent may be present in the operating room as the child goes to sleep.

What insurance plans are accepted at The AVM Center of New York at Lenox Hill?

The physicians at The AVM Center of New York are aware of the fact that we are one of the few centers with the expertise to treat these unique conditions, and that many patients are referred here after seeing many other specialists.

For this reason, we will rarely turn a patient away for “insurance issues.” Over the past several years, constantly changing rules and policies have made this a challenging problem for most patients as well as for most medical practices.

We are willing to work in the best manner possible with any patient’s situation to find a solution. Our insurance specialists help with these issues on a daily basis and can usually find a solution to make sure every patient receives treatment. For specific information on insurance issues, you may contact us at The AVM Center of New York by calling (212) 434-­2606.

For more questions about AVM’s please see our Helpful Resources Page