S1E20 - Untangled: How Vermont’s Only Pediatric Neurosurgeon Helps Young Brains Overcome Big Challenges

At 14 years old, Kian Ruid’s life was suddenly turned upside down by debilitating headaches so powerful he couldn’t even stand upright.  An MRI revealed the reason: a rare abnormality in Kian’s brain known as an AVM – a dangerous tangle of blood vessels that causes headaches, pain, vision problems and more, as well as posing serious risks for internal bleeding resulting in seizures, stroke-like symptoms, cognitive difficulties, movement problems and other life-changing impacts. 

Once doctors found the AVM entangled with the motor center of Kian’s brain, surgery quickly became an imperative, though it came with potential...