This 63-year-old man presented with a right temporoparietal cortical infarction. A dural arteriovenous fistula involving the right transverse sinus was diagnosed on cerebral angiography. Transvenous embolization using detachable coils was performed; however, postembolization angiograms demonstrated retrograde filling of a cortical draining vein that was not seen on initial angiography. The patient subsequently developed a cerebral abscess in the region of the previous cortical infarction 2 months after the embolization. The abscess was successfully treated with drainage and antibiotic therapy. The authors report this case to illustrate an unusual complication associated with this procedure and the possible contribution of the cortical draining vein in the pathogenesis of the cerebral abscess.
This 63-year-old man presented with a right temporoparietal cortical infarction. A dural arteriovenous fistula involving the right transverse sinus was diagnosed on cerebral angiography. Transvenous embolization using detachable coils was performed; however, postembolization angiograms demonstrated retrograde filling of a cortical draining vein that was not seen on initial angiography. The patient subsequently developed a cerebral abscess in the region of the previous cortical infarction 2 months after the embolization. The abscess was successfully treated with drainage and antibiotic therapy. The authors report this case to illustrate an unusual complication associated with this procedure and the possible contribution of the cortical draining vein in the pathogenesis of the cerebral abscess.
Spinal dural arteriovenous (AV) fistulas are the most commonly encountered vascular malformation of the spinal cord and a treatable cause for progressive paraplegia or tetraplegia. They most commonly affected are elderly men and are classically found in the thoracolumbar region.Symptoms gradually progress or decline in a stepwise manner and are commonly associated with pain and sphincter disturbances. Surgical or endovascular disconnection of the fistula has a high success rate with a low rate of morbidity. Motor symptoms are most likely to improve after treatment, followed by sensory disturbances, and lastly sphincter disturbances.
Cerebral abscess as an unusual complication of coil embolization in a dural arteriovenous fistula