Long-term outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with treated spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas: a prospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo define the pattern of long-term clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs).DesginProspective cohort study based on constantly recruiting patients with SDAVFs in two medical centres in China.SettingPatients with SDAVFs were recruited consecutively between March 2013 and December 2014 in two referral centres.ParticipantsA prospective cohort of 94 patients with SDAVFs was included in this study, and 86 patients (mean age 53.0 years, 71 men) completed the study. Patients who had previously undergone endovascular or neurosurgical treatment or had neurological dysfunction caused by other diseases or refused treatment were excluded.InterventionsAll patients underwent neurosurgery or endovascular embolisation. These patients were evaluated with the modified Aminoff and Logue’s Scale (mALS) 1 day before and 3, 6, 12 and 72 months after treatments.ResultsThe duration of symptoms ranged from 0.5 to 66 months (average 12.8 months). The location of SDAVFs was as follows: 33.7% above T7, 50.0% between/include T7 and T12% and 16.3% below T12. 75 patients (87.2%) underwent neurosurgical treatment, and 9 patients (10.5%) underwent endovascular treatment. 58 patients (67.4%) exhibited an improvement in mALS of one point or greater at 72 months. Patients with less disability were more likely to improve at 72 months (p<0.05). 48 patients (55.8%) showed deterioration at 72 months compared with 12 months. 61% of the patients suffered numbness, and 22% had pain before treatment. However, 81% of patients had numbness, and 28% had pain after treatment. This deterioration was related to 1-year mALS and age.ConclusionNearly two-thirds of the patients experienced clinical improvement at 72 months, and preoperative (1 day before treatment) mALS was the strongest predictor of clinical improvement. However, 55.8% of patients showed deterioration after temporary recovery. All patients with SDAVFs should accept treatment as soon as possible.

The Bilateral Sacral Origin of a Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistula: A Case Report

: Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs) are characterized by an abnormal connection between a spinal radicular artery and a perimedullary vein, mainly fed by a radicular artery at the nerve root sleeve. Here, we describe the case of a 40-year-old woman, presenting with progressive weakness of the lower extremities and the sphincter. Thoracic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed spinal cord edema and signal voids on the dorsal surface of the cord. Spinal angiography demonstrated a SDAVF with a nidus at the sacral level; the feeder of the arteriovenous fistula was a lateral sacral artery, as a branch of the internal iliac artery. The lateral sacral artery was subselectively catheterized, and SDAVF was embolized with 25% n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) glue (glue: lipiodol ratio, 1:3). After embolization, no definite residual connection was visualized between the arterial and venous systems.

Endovascular Treatment of Cavernous Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas. Institutional Series, Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose Endovascular treatment represents the first-line therapy for cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (CS-dAVF); however, different approaches and embolic agents as well as occlusion rates, complications and clinical outcomes are reported among the published series. In this study we performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to investigate clinical and radiological outcomes after endovascular treatment of CS-dAVFs. Methods PubMed, Ovid Medline, Ovid EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science were screened for a comprehensive literature review from 1990 to 2020 regarding series of patients treated for CS-dAVF with endovascular approaches. We performed a proportion meta-analysis estimating the pooled rates of each outcome also including data of patients treated in our center. Results A total of 22 studies reporting 1043 patients and 1066 procedures were included. Chemosis was reported in 559 out of 1043 patients (45.9%), proptosis in 498 (41.5%), and ophthalmoplegia in 344 (23.5%). A transvenous embolization was preferred in 753 cases (63.2%) and coils were used in 712 out of 1066 procedures (57.8%). Overall, 85% (95% confidence interval, CI 69.5–96.1%) of patients had a complete resolution of symptoms, while complications occurred in 7.75% (95% CI 3.82–12.7%) with minimal permanent deficits (0.15%). The mortality rate was 1 out of 1043 patients (< 0.001). Conclusion A transvenous coiling is the most common endovascular approach for CS-dAVF, achieving a high percentage of radiological and clinical resolution and low complication rates. Transvenous approaches show less complications than transarterial ones, and coils appear safer than liquid embolic agents.

Modified Borden Grading System For Cranial And Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas In Neuroendovsacular Era

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors due to author disagreement with the posting of the preprint. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.

Extracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistula as a Cause of Mastoid Mass: A Case Report

Introduction: Dural arteriovenous fistulas account for 10 to 15% of intracranial arteriovenous malformations. They are defined as malformations to short-circuits between dural and extracranial arteries with dural venous sinuses. Its presentation is in frequent and its management is a challenge in low- and middle-income countries where there are difficulties in accessing high quality technological tools. Case: We present the case of an unusual dural arteriovenous fistula involving the mastoid region and draining into the external jugular vein and through emissary veins into the superior longitudinal sinus, which was treated transarterially. Conclusion: Endovascular management of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas can be a challenge. Endovascular treatment includes a transarterial or transvenous approach from the femoral artery or vein. There is little evidence on this subject, so it is necessary to carry out more studies to determine risk factors, intervention effects and medium- and long-term outcomes.

Intracranial Hemorrhage from Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: What Can We Find with CT Angiography?

(1) Background: Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVF) represent a rare acquired intracranial vascular malformation, with a variety of clinical signs and symptoms, which make their diagnosis difficult. Intracranial hemorrhage is one of the most serious clinical manifestations. In this paper the authors’ goal was to verify the accuracy and utility of contrast-enhanced brain CT angiography (CTA) for the identification and the characterization of dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) in patients who presented with brain hemorrhage compared to 3D digital subtraction angiography (3D DSA); (2) a retrospective study of 26 patients with DAVFs who presented with intracranial hemorrhage to our institution was performed. The information reviewed included clinical presentation, location and size of hemorrhage, brain CTA and 3D DSA findings; (3) results: 61% (16/26) of DAVFs were identified by CTA. The vast majority of patients were male (69%, 18/26) and the most common presenting symptom was sudden onset headache. All DAVFs had cortical venous drainage and about one-third were associated with a venous varix. The most common location was tentorial (73%, 19/26); (4) conclusions: CTA can represent a valid alternative diagnostic method to 3D DSA for the study of DAVF in the initial and preliminary diagnostic approach, especially in emergency situations. In fact, it represents a fast, inexpensive, non-invasive and above all, easily accessible and available diagnostic technique, unlike DSA or MRI, allowing to provide information necessary for the identification, classification and treatment planning of DAVFs.