scholarly journals Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas (FAVDR) with Peri- Medullary Venous Drainage: Clinical, Radiological and Therapeutic Aspects (Case Report and Literature Review)

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 32-33
Author(s):  
Tarek Mesbahi ◽  
Abderrahmane Rafiq ◽  
Nidal Amara ◽  
Marouane Makhchoune ◽  
Abdelhakim Lakhdar

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas are rare and often unrecognized,  they occur predominantly in men, with an initial clinical picture most often  misleading made of chronic myelopathy in the absence of treatment, the evolution is slowly towards a definitive paraplegia. We report the case of a patient referred for a table of spinal cord compression revealing a spinal dural fistula with perimedullary venous drainage treated urgently, due to the worsening of the clinical picture. The standard treatment consists of surgical or endovascular exclusion of the fistula (in our case the fistula was surgically excluded). From this case and based on the literature, we will specify the a, clinical, radiological characteristics as well as the prognosis of these malformations, and we will discuss the possibilities of therapeutic management.

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 398-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Takai ◽  
Taichi Kin ◽  
Hiroshi Oyama ◽  
Masaaki Shojima ◽  
Nobuhito Saito

Object There have been significant advances in understanding the angioarchitecture of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs). However, the major intradural retrograde venous drainage system has not been investigated in detail, including the most proximal sites of intradural radiculomedullary veins as they connect to the dura mater, which are the final targets of interruption in both microsurgical and endovascular treatments. Methods Between April 1984 and March 2011, 27 patients with 28 AVFs were treated for spinal dural AVFs at the authors' university hospital. The authors assessed vertebral levels of feeding arteries and dural AVFs by using conventional digital subtraction angiography. They also assessed 3D locations of the most proximal sites of intradural radiculomedullary veins and the 3D positional relationship between the major intradural retrograde venous drainage system and intradural neural structures, including the spinal cord, spinal nerves, and the artery of Adamkiewicz, by using operative video recordings plus 3D rotational angiography and/or 3D computer graphics. In addition, they statistically assessed the clinical results of 27 cases. Of these lesions, 23 were treated with open microsurgery and the rest were treated with endovascular methods. Results Feeding arteries consisted of T2–10 intercostal arteries with 19 lesions, T-12 subcostal arteries with 3 lesions, and L1–3 lumbar arteries with 6 lesions. The 3D locations of the targets of interruption (the most proximal sites of intradural radiculomedullary veins as they connect to the dura mater) were identified at the dorsolateral portion of the dura mater adjacent to dorsal roots in all 19 thoracic lesions, whereas they were identified at the ventrolateral portion of the dura mater adjacent to ventral roots in 7 (78%) of 9 cases of conus medullaris/lumbar lesions (p < 0.001). The major intradural retrograde venous drainage system was located dorsal to the spinal cord in all 19 thoracic lesions, whereas it was located ventral to the spinal cord in 4 (44%) of 9 cases of conus/lumbar lesions (p = 0.006). In 3 (11%) of 27 cases, AVFs had a common origin of the artery of Adamkiewicz. In 2 lumbar lesions, the artery of Adamkiewicz ascended very close to the vein because of its ventral location. Although all lesions were successfully obliterated without major complications and both gait and micturition status significantly improved (p = 0.005 and p = 0.015, respectively), conus/lumbar lesions needed careful differential diagnosis from ventral intradural perimedullary AVFs, because the ventral location of these lesions contradicted the Spetzler classification system. Conclusions The angioarchitecture of spinal dural AVFs in the thoracic region is strikingly different from that in conus/lumbar regions with regard to the intradural retrograde venous drainage system. One should keep in mind that spinal dural AVFs are not always dorsal types, especially in conus/lumbar regions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. E17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Fugate ◽  
Giuseppe Lanzino ◽  
Alejandro A. Rabinstein

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), the most common type of spinal cord vascular malformation, can be a challenge to diagnose and treat promptly. The disorder is rare, and the presenting clinical symptoms and signs are nonspecific and insidious at onset. Spinal dural AVFs preferentially affect middle-aged men, and patients most commonly present with gait abnormality or lower-extremity weakness and sensory disturbances. 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. Patients with severe neurological deficits at presentation tend to have worse posttreatment functional outcomes than those with mild or moderate pretreatment disability. However, improvement or stabilization of symptoms is seen in the vast majority of treated patients, and thus treatment is justified even in patients with substantial neurological deficits. The extent of intramedullary spinal cord T2 signal abnormality does not correlate with outcomes and should not be used as a prognostic factor.


2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 441-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenichi Sato ◽  
Karel G. TerBrugge ◽  
Timo Krings

Object Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs) consist of a shunt with converging feeding vessels arising from radiculomeningeal arteries and draining retrogradely via a radicular vein into the perimedullary veins, thereby causing progressive myelopathy due to venous hypertension in the spinal cord. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that the obstruction of radicular venous outlets could be an additional factor inducing symptomatic venous hypertension due to a decreased outflow in SDAVFs. Methods The authors compared the clinical and imaging findings in patients with asymptomatic SDAVFs identified incidentally at the upper thoracic region with the findings in symptomatic patients who harbored SDAVFs at the same level. Results All symptomatic patients presented with medullary dysfunction. The mean age of patients with asymptomatic SDAVF was 51.5 years, approximately 10 years younger than the patients with symptomatic SDAVF (64.1 years old). Despite the existence of dilated perimedullary vessels in the dorsal side of the spinal cord in all patients, the spinal cord edema seen in symptomatic patients was not detected on the MR images obtained in patients with asymptomatic SDAVF. The spinal angiograms of the asymptomatic patients distinctively demonstrated early radicular venous outflow from affected perimedullary veins to the extradural venous plexus as a potential alternate route for the venous hypertension to be released. Conclusions Obstruction of the radicular venous outflow could be an important factor in inducing spinal congestive edema due to venous hypertension, as well as subsequent clinical symptoms of SDAVFs.


Author(s):  
Vinayak Narayan ◽  
Anil Nanda

Abstract: Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas are a rare cause of congestive myelopathy. Symptoms are insidious in onset and may be confused with degenerative spinal disease. MRI characteristically shows edema of the spinal cord with serpiginous flow voids that follow the surface of the spinal cord. Careful evaluation with spinal angiography is required to ensure accurate diagnosis. Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas differ from spinal arteriovenous malformations in that most fistulas have only a single fistulous point without a nidus. Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas may be treated successfully with either surgical resection or endovascular embolization depending on their anatomy. Earlier treatment is associated with better outcomes.


2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo Krings ◽  
Volker A. Coenen ◽  
Martin Weinzierl ◽  
Marcus H. T. Reinges ◽  
Michael Mull ◽  
...  

✓ Among spinal cord vascular malformations, dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) must be distinguished from intradural malformations. The concurrence of both is extremely rare. The authors report the case of a 35-year-old man who suffered from progressive myelopathy and who harbored both a DAVF and an intradural perimedullary fistula. During surgery, both fistulas were identified, confirmed, and subsequently obliterated. The fistulas were located at two levels directly adjacent to each other. Although the incidence of concurrent spinal DAVFs is presumed to be approximately 2%, the combination of a dural and an intradural fistula is exceedingly rare; only two other cases have been reported in the literature. One can speculate whether the alteration in venous drainage caused by the (presumably congenital) perimedullary fistula could possibly promote the production of a second dural fistula due to elevated pressure with concomitant venous stagnation and subsequent thrombosis. The authors conclude that despite the rarity of dual pathological entities, the clinician should be aware of the possibility of the concurrence of more than one spinal fistula in the same patient.


Author(s):  
Michihiro Tanaka

AbstractSpinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs) are the most common vascular shunts of the spine. They occur predominantly in men (more than 80%), commonly involve the thoracolumbar spine, and usually cause progressive myelopathy because of venous congestion of the spinal cord. Recent advanced imaging technology can visualize the detailed angioarchitecture of the spinal cord, and this provides more information of the regional microanatomy related with the shunt disease. We retrospectively analyzed the location of the shunt with adjacent vasculatures and assessed the efficacy and the sensitivity of each imaging modality. Based on these data, a new concept of classification for SDAVFs was reviewed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven W. Hetts ◽  
Joey D. English ◽  
Shirley I. Stiver ◽  
Vineeta Singh ◽  
Erin J. Yee ◽  
...  

We describe a unique case of bilateral cervical spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas mimicking an intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula near the foramen magnum. We review its detection via MRI and digital subtraction angiography and subsequent management through surgical intervention. Pitfalls in diagnostic angiography are discussed with reference to accurate location of the fistula site. The venous anastomotic connections of the posterior midline spinal vein to the medial posterior medullary vein, posterior fossa bridging veins, and dural venous sinuses of the skull base are discussed with reference to problem-solving in this complex case. The mechanism of myelopathy through venous hypertension produced by spinal dural fistulas is also emphasized.


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