Dural arteriovenous malformations of the spine

1984 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay Symon ◽  
Hideyuki Kuyama ◽  
Brian Kendall

✓ The clinical and angiographic findings of 55 patients with a spinal dural arteriovenous malformation (AVM) are reviewed, and the results of surgery assessed. The symptoms of dural AVM are usually gradual in onset, and hemorrhage from this type of AVM is less common than in true spinal cord angiomas. Other clinical features and the myelographic findings are similar to those of spinal cord angiomas. On angiography, the nidus of dural AVM's usually projected lateral to the spinal cord. Clipping of communicating vessels between the AVM and the coronal plexus was carried out in 50 patients, and decompressive laminectomy only in five cases. Surgery led to improvement of disturbed gait or arrest of a previously progressive course in 85% of those managed by clipping communicating vessels. The pathophysiology and surgical treatment of dural AVM's are discussed.

1975 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecil J. Hash ◽  
Charles B. Grossman ◽  
Henry A. Shenkin

✓ The authors report the case of a patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage in whom an intracranial dural arteriovenous malformation coexisted with a spinal arteriovenous malformation. The latter was considered to be the source of the hemorrhage by clinical and radiographic criteria. It is concluded that patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage who show no suitable intracranial source for their bleed in some instances should be investigated for a spinal origin of hemorrhage.


2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert F. Spetzler ◽  
Paul W. Detwiler ◽  
Howard A. Riina ◽  
Randall W. Porter

The literature on spinal vascular malformations contains a great deal of confusing terminology. Some of the nomenclature is inconsistent with the lesions described. Based on the experience of the senior author (R.F.S.) in the treatment of more than 130 spinal cord vascular lesions and based on a thorough review of the relevant literature, the authors propose a modified classification system for spinal cord vascular lesions. Lesions are divided into three primary or broad categories: neoplasms, aneurysms, and arteriovenous lesions. Neoplastic vascular lesions include hemangioblastomas and cavernous malformations, both of which occur sporadically and familially. The second category consists of spinal aneurysms, which are rare. The third category, spinal cord arteriovenous lesions, is divided into arteriovenous fistulas and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Arteriovenous fistulas are subdivided into those that are extradural and those that are intradural, with intradural lesions categorized as either dorsal or ventral. Arteriovenous malformations are subdivided into extradural-intradural and intradural malformations. Intradural lesions are further divided into intramedullary, intramedullary-extramedullary, and conus medullaris, a new category of AVM. This modified classification system for vascular lesions of the spinal cord, based on pathophysiology, neuroimaging features, intraoperative observations, and neuroanatomy, offers several advantages. First, it includes all surgical vascular lesions that affect the spinal cord. Second, it guides treatment by classifying lesions based on location and pathophysiology. Finally, it eliminates the confusion produced by the multitude of unrelated nomenclatural terms found in the literature.


1976 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 744-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric T. Yuhl ◽  
John R. Bentson

✓ A case of ependymoma of the conus medullaris and cauda equina is described in which spinal angiography demonstrated rapid arteriovenous shunting, an angiographic sign which is typical of arteriovenous malformations and which has not been previously reported to occur with ependymomas.


1999 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Ratliff ◽  
Rand M. Voorhies

✓ This 24-year-old man presented with an unusual case of a high-flow arteriovenous fistula (AVF). This lesion was similar to giant AVFs in children that have been previously described in the literature. In patients in whom abnormalities of the vein of Galen have been excluded and in whom presentation occurs after 20 years of age, a diagnosis of congenital AVF is quite unusual.The fistula in this case originated in an enlarged callosomarginal artery and drained into the superior sagittal sinus via a saccular vascular abnormality. Two giant aneurysmal dilations of the fistula were present. In an associated finding, a small falcine dural arteriovenous malformation (AVM) was also present. Arterial supply to the AVM arose from both external carotid arteries and the left vertebral artery, with drainage through an aberrant vein in the region of the inferior sagittal sinus into the vein of Galen.Craniotomy with exposure and trapping of the AVF was performed, with subsequent radiosurgical (linear accelerator) treatment of the dural AVM. Through this combination of microsurgical trapping of the AVF and radiotherapy of the dural AVM, an excellent clinical outcome was achieved.


1973 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 652-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony D. Oliver ◽  
Charles B. Wilson ◽  
Edwin B. Boldrey

✓ Two cases of spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) are reported because of a previously unobserved clinical feature: recurrent transient postprandial paresis of the legs. The authors believe the paresis was caused by chronic shunting of blood away from the cord and into the low-resistance AVM. Symptomatic cord ischemia might then be precipitated by vasodilatation in other areas of the body such as the splanchnic, brachial, or uterine vessels. We believe that in some instances this mechanism should be considered as an explanation for episodic neurological deficits seen in association with spinal AVM's.


1994 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 620-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghaus M. Malik ◽  
Asim Mahmood ◽  
Bharat A. Mehta

✓ Intracranial arteriovenous malformations (AVM's) have been classified as pure pial, pure dural, and mixed pial and dural. Dural AVM's are relatively uncommon, with 377 cases documented up to 1990. These lesions were believed to be situated within the walls of the sinuses, but during the last decade researchers discovered a small subgroup of dural AVM's in extrasinusal locations such as the skull base and tentorium. Two of the 17 patients who were studied between 1976 and 1993 had dural AVM's that were entirely intraosseous except for their venous drainage, which was via the dural venous sinuses. Although such intraosseous dural AVM's have not been previously described, the authors elected to group these malformations with dural AVM's because their venous drainage was intracranial and angiograms revealed identical features.


1993 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
pp. 917-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoji Komatsu ◽  
Tomoyuki Shibata ◽  
Susumu Yasuda ◽  
Yukio Ono ◽  
Tadao Nose

✓ A high cervical myelopathy due to atlas hypoplasia is described in a 56-year-old man; the condition caused marked segmental compression of the spinal cord. A remarkable neurological recovery followed decompressive laminectomy of the atlas and adjacent regions. The authors discuss the embryology and etiology of this anomaly.


1983 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 1019-1030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward H. Oldfield ◽  
Giovanni Di Chiro ◽  
Eugene A. Quindlen ◽  
Kenneth G. Rieth ◽  
John L. Doppman

✓ As demonstrated by selective spinal cord arteriography, over 80% of spinal cord arteriovenous malformations (AVM's) occupy a predominantly extramedullary position. Current therapy frequently requires surgical stripping of the long dorsal intradural vessel(s) from the underlying spinal cord over many cord segments. The authors report six patients with a dural arteriovenous fistula fed by a cluster of abnormal epidural arteries. These vessels, which surrounded and were embedded into the dural covering of a thoracic nerve root, drained into a long sinuous intrathecal paramedullary vein(s). The angiographic and surgical appearance of the intradural component of these lesions was identical to that of lesions previously classified as Type I AVM's of the spinal cord. All patients had symptoms and signs of myelopathy. In five patients, surgery was limited to coagulation and excision of the extradural vessels and division of the intradural arterialized vein. Progressive improvement began within days following surgery. No residual abnormality was demonstrated by postoperative selective spinal cord arteriography, which was performed in all five patients. The findings support those of Kendall and Logue, that surgery restricted to elimination of the arteriovenous fistula at the intervertebral foramen is curative, and that more extensive surgery is unnecessary for this subgroup of AVM's of the spinal cord. These lesions comprise a sizable percent of all spinal AVM's. Resolution of myelopathy in these patients supports the hypothesis that venous hypertension causes chronic progressive myelopathy.


1999 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Victorien Konan ◽  
Jean Raymond ◽  
Daniel Roy

✓ The authors sought to show the feasibility and discuss the rationale of embolization of aneurysms associated with spinal cord arteriovenous malformations (SCAVMs). The authors reviewed the clinical presentation, magnetic resonance (MR) images, spinal angiograms, and clinical evolution of four patients treated for aneurysms associated with an SCAVM. Aneurysms were located on branches of the anterior spinal artery in three patients and on radiculopial arteries in two patients; one patient harbored two lesions. Treatment consisted of superselective bucrylate embolization of the branches harboring the aneurysms, with preservation of the arterial axis. Follow-up angiograms were obtained at 3 to 6 months postembolization in all patients. All patients presented with hemorrhagic events. Hematomyelia was clearly related to a sulcocommissural or a vasa corona aneurysm in two patients. Another sulcocommissural aneurysm and multiple radiculopial aneurysms were presumed to be the cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage in two other patients. One patient harbored aneurysms on a sulcocommissural artery and on a radiculopial artery. All aneurysms were permanently obliterated. In one patient with a single fistula, the SCAVM was cured. The SCAVM was only partially obliterated (95, 50, and 20% in apparent volume) in three other patients. There were no complications or rebleeding episodes during a follow-up period of 17 to 37 months. Aneurysms associated with SCAVMs can be eradicated by supraselective embolization, even on the anterior spinal artery territory. For patients presenting with hemorrhage and prohibitive risk of complete resection, embolization of aneurysms may decrease the risk of further rebleeding.


1999 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Asakawa ◽  
Kiyoyuki Yanaka ◽  
Kiyoshi Narushima ◽  
Kotoo Meguro ◽  
Tadao Nose

✓ Although the craniovertebral junction is one of the most common sites at which anomalies develop, spina bifida occulta of the axis (C-2) associated with cervical myelopathy is extremely rare. The authors present the case of a 46-year-old man who developed progressive tetraparesis caused by a cervical canal stenosis at the level of the axis. The spinal cord was compressed by an invaginated bifid lamina of the axis. The patient made a remarkable recovery after undergoing decompressive laminectomy of C-3 and removal of the bifid posterior arch of the axis.


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