Summary

Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) secondary to arteriovenous malformation (AVM) rupture carries significant morbidity and mortality. External ventricular drainage of IVH is frequently complicated by thrombus formation within the ventricular catheter and therefore often unsuccessful at treating hydrocephalus in this setting. Intraventricular administration of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rtPA) has proved successful in the treatment of spontaneous panventricular haemorrhage. However, usage of rtPA is contraindicated in the setting of a ruptured AVM or aneurysm in which the bleeding source has not been secured. There are only a few reports of intraventricular thrombolysis in the treatment of IVH from AVM rupture. We present the case of successful application of rtPA to treat IVH after endovascularly securing the haemorrhage site of the AVM. Intraventricular thrombolysis remains an option for the treatment of IVH in the setting of AVM rupture and should be considered on a case-by-case basis.