Acquired pial arteriovenous fistula following cerebral vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: We report a unique case of an acquired pial arteriovenous fistula occurring after an asymptomatic thrombosis of a superficial cerebral vein. CASE DESCRIPTION: A cerebral angiogram performed in a 51-year-old man with subarachnoid hemorrhage revealed a 10-mm ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm and a thrombosed left superficial middle cerebral vein. Coil embolization of the anterior communicating aneurysm was performed. Follow-up angiography 18 months later revealed a new, asymptomatic, pial arteriovenous fistula between the previously thrombosed left superficial middle cerebral vein and a small sylvian branch of the left middle cerebral artery. CONCLUSIONS: This case provides evidence that pial arteriovenous fistulas may develop as acquired lesions and furthermore may rarely follow cerebral vein thrombosis. Several cases of dural arteriovenous fistulas, as well as a single case of a mixed pial-dural arteriovenous fistula, occurring after dural sinus thrombosis have been reported previously. However, to our knowledge, this is the first report of an acquired pial arteriovenous fistula following a cerebral vein thrombosis.     

Dural arteriovenous fistula of the transverse sigmoid sinus after transvenous embolization of the carotid cavernous fistula]

We report a case of dural arteriovenous fistula of the transverse-sigmoid sinus after transvenous embolization of the carotid cavernous fistula. A 72-year-old woman presented with left exophthalmos, chemosis, bruit and left abducens nerve palsy in June 1996. Bilateral external and internal carotid angiograms revealed the dural arteriovenous fistula of the cavernous sinus. We embolized the dural arteriovenous fistula using a transvenous approach via the left inferior petrosal sinus. Angiograms demonstrated the complete disappearance of the dural arteriovenous fistula. Two years and six months later, she complained of tinnitus at the retroauricular region. Left external carotid angiograms showed a dural arteriovenous fistula of the transverse-sigmoid sinus fed by occipital, posterior auricular, middle meningeal and superficial temporal arteries. We embolized the dural arteriovenous fistula using a transarterial approach. Her symptoms disappeared but the dural arteriovenous fistula did not disappear completely. We discussed the clinical features and etiology of this case.     

开颅术后硬脑膜动-静脉瘘合并静脉窦血栓形成的临床和影像学分析

目的：探讨硬脑膜动-静脉瘘（DAVF）合并静脉窦血栓形成的临床和影像学特点。方法：回顾本例患者的临床表现和影像学特点及介入治疗经过,并结合复习国外相关文献报道。结果：开颅术后DAVF合并静咏窦血栓形成的报道很少,临床表现复杂多样,血管造影（DSA）均有相应改变。DSA介入治疗疗效显著。结论：DSA检查对确诊和治疗该病尤为关键。     

Venous Sinus Thrombosis: A Misdiagnosis Using MR Angiography

Introduction  Magnetic resonance venography (MRV) is a non-invasive imaging modality that is used in many centers to supplant conventional cerebral digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for the diagnosis of dural venous sinus thrombosis. Discussion  We present the case of a pregnant female diagnosed with dural venous sinus thrombosis by serial time-of-flight (TOF) MRV examinations, and treated with long-term anticoagulation based on these examinations. Results   The appearance of the affected dural sinus did not change on MRV over the treatment period. The patient returned during follow-up with new-onset pulsatile tinnitus, which prompted us to perform DSA to exclude a dural arteriovenous fistula. DSA revealed that the segment of venous sinus diagnosed as thrombosed on MRV actually was patent but had a septation in its midsection. Conclusions  We concluded that the patient did not have a venous sinus thrombosis at the time of MRV examinations but rather an anatomical variant mimicking a thrombosis, which would not have required any treatment. MRV, particularly TOF MRV, is limited by artifacts in correctly identifying vascular anatomy and pathology and should be interpreted carefully. DSA remains the reference standard for most vascular imaging.     

海绵窦区硬脑膜动静脉瘘的临床表现及血管内介入治疗

目的 探讨海绵窦区硬脑膜动静脉瘘的临床症状及血管内介入治疗的方法和疗效.方法 分析收治的16例海绵窦区硬脑膜动静脉瘘患者临床资料,并对其临床症状、血管内介入治疗方法及疗效进行总结分析.结果 16例患者眼部充血表现(或合并突眼)13例,单纯突眼1例,颞部杂音2例,蛛网膜下腔出血1例.6例单纯南动脉途径应用NBCA进行栓塞,术后瘘口即刻闭塞3例;1例有瘘口残留,随访2个月后症状完全消失;另外2例瘘口残留,但症状明显好转.8例进行了单纯静脉入路栓塞,其中2例应用ONYX和弹簧圈进行栓塞,完全闭塞瘘口;2例分别合并有术后动眼神经和外展神经麻痹,前者术后1个月好转;5例单纯进行了ONYX栓塞:1例由动静脉联合入路进行栓塞,瘘口完全闭塞,1例因瘘口细小进行了颈动脉压迫并观察随访,术后2个月瘘口更加细小,术后3例患者出现眼部并发症,1例为动眼神经麻痹,1个月后好转,1例为复视并外展神经麻痹,1例为结膜充血,眼球疼痛不适,后好转.结论 海绵窦区硬脑膜动静脉瘘临床表现复杂多变.血管内介入治疗是海绵窦区硬脑膜动静脉瘘安全、有效的治疗方法.经动脉入路栓塞,瘘口闭塞率低于静脉入路,但术后眼部并发症发生率亦低,静脉入路瘘口闭塞率高,但应注意防止眼部并发症发生.     

Venous sinus compromise after pre-sigmoid,transpetrosal approach for skull base tumors: A study on the asymptomatic incidence and report of a rare dural arteriovenous fistula as symptomatic manifestation

The sigmoid sinus is routinely exposed and manipulated during pre-sigmoid, transpetrosal approaches to the skull base, but there is scant data available on the incidence of venous sinus compromise after surgery. We encountered a dural arteriovenous fistula as a result of sigmoid sinus occlusion and examined the incidence of venous sinus thrombosis or narrowing after transpetrosal surgeries. We performed a retrospective analysis of a series of patients treated by the senior surgeons (WCJ, MH, HJK), who underwent either a posterior petrosectomy or translabyrinthine approach for various skull base tumors. All available clinical and radiographic data were thoroughly examined in each patient to determine the post-operative fate of the venous sinuses. Of the 52 available patients, five patients were discovered post-operatively to have a narrowed or constricted sigmoid sinus ipsilateral to the surgery, whereas another five patients were diagnosed with asymptomatic sinus thrombosis either in the transverse or sigmoid or both. None of these patients experienced symptoms, nor were there any instance of ischemic or hemorrhagic complications. However, there was one additional patient who presented with pulsatile tinnitus 2 years after surgery. His angiogram showed an occlusion of the ipsilateral sigmoid sinus and a posterior fossa dural arteriovenous fistula. A two-stage transvenous and transarterial embolization was successful in eliminating the fistula. Technical considerations to avoid sinus injuries during pre-sigmoid, transpetrosal surgery are discussed.     

Delayed Dural Arteriovenous Fistula after Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm

Dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is very rare, acquired lesion that may present with intracranial hemorrhage or neurological deficits. The etiology is not completely understood but dural AVF often has been associated with thrombosis of the involved dural sinuses. To our knowledge, this is the first well documented intracranial hemorrhage case caused by dural AVF following microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm. A 49-year-old male patient had left microvascular decompression of anterior inferior cerebellar artery via retrosigmoid suboccipital craniotomy. The patient was in good condition without any residual spasm or surgery-related complications. However, after 10 months, he suffered sudden onset of amnesia and dysarthria. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed the presence of dural AVF around the left transverse-sigmoid sinus. The dural AVF was treated with Onyx® (ev3) embolization. At the one-year follow up visit, there were no evidence of recurrence and morbidity related to dural AVF and its treatment. This case confirms that the acquired etiology of dural AVF may be associated with retrosigmoid suboccipital craniotomy for hemifacial spasm, even though it is an extremely consequence of this procedure.     

Severe cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and dural arteriovenous fistula in an infant with protein S deficiency

A 12-month-old infant presented with cerebral seizures and neurological deficits. MRI scan of the brain and angiography showed massive cerebral venous sinus thrombosis complicated by a dural arteriovenous fistula. Subsequent clotting analysis revealed a protein S deficiency. Screening for inherited coagulation inhibitor deficiency is recommended in children with unexplained or atypical thrombotic events. Received: 12 May 1998     

Two consecutive dural arteriovenous fistulae in a child: a case report of successful treatment with gamma knife radiosurgery

Introduction The occurrence of dural arteriovenous fistulae in children is quite rare. Endovascular embolization is typically the first line treatment. In general, Gamma Knife radiosurgery is used as adjuvant treatment and seldom performed as the first line treatment in children. Discussion We report a case of a 27-month-old girl who presented with an initial dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) located at anterior base of the left middle cranial fossa. She subsequently developed another dural AVF over the left transverse-sigmoid sinus region 2 years later. Conclusion Both fistulae were successfully obliterated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery.     

Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Spontaneous Venous Infarction and Cortical Hemorrhage Complicating Dural Arteriovenous Fistula

Dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is an abnormal arteriovenous shunt that occurs in the dura matter within or near a dural sinus. The clinical manifestations vary. The authors report herein a rare case of type III DAVF presenting with coexisting intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and venous infarction evidenced by computed tomography (CT) and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Conventional angiography proved that the right middle meningeal artery and the occipital artery supplied the DAVF, with direct drainage into the cortical veins and superior sagittal sinus.     

Dural arteriovenous fistula presents like an ischemic stroke.

OBJECTIVE: We report the case of a patient with a dural arteriovenous fistula whose neurobehavioral syndrome was indistinguishable from that of an ischemic stroke. BACKGROUND: Case studies of dural arteriovenous fistulas primarily describe global cognitive changes like dementia, but detailed neurocognitive evaluations of dural arteriovenous fistula patients are rarely reported. METHOD: We provide a dural arteriovenous fistula case of a patient who presented with aphasia and other symptoms of stroke. Background history, serial neuropsychological data, and angiographic images are presented. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Serial neurocognitive data show the extent to which cognitive deficits are reversed with embolization. The case demonstrates that the mechanisms underlying neurocognitive deficits are specific to the fistula's unique hemodynamic features in addition to the location of the dural arteriovenous fistula.     

Dural arteriovenous fistulas with intracranial hemorrhage: diagnostic and therapeutic aspects

Seven patients presented with intracranial hemorrhage due to arteriovenous dural fistula. Six patients showed intracerebral hemorrhage combined with subdural hematoma and intraventricular hemorrhage in one case respectively, and one patient had infratentorial subarachnoid hemorrhage. Location of the fistulae was frontobasal (n=2), tentorium (n=2), transverse sinus (n=2), and superior sagittal sinus (n=1). Angiography revealed reflux into cortical veins in all cases. Therapy was surgery in both cases with fistula of the anterior cranial fossa with good results. An endovascular intraarterial therapy was performed in a case with circumscribed fistula of the superior sagittal sinus, this patient developed a second dural fistula during follow-up. Two patients with tentorial fistulae had primary endovascular treatment complicated by infarction of both thalami in one case and a recurrence of the fistula in the other. In the last case the fistula was closed by surgery. Out of two patients with widespread fistulae of the transverse sinus one made a good clinical recovery and the other remained unchanged. In the first case definite closure of a remnant of the fistula was refused, in the second no further therapy was recommended.     

Paradoxical Exacerbation of Symptoms with Obstruction of the Venous Outflow after Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Treatment of a Dural Arteriovenous Fistula of the Cavernous Sinus

A 59-year-old female presented with progressive right proptosis, chemosis and ocular pain. An imaging work-up including conventional catheter angiography showed a right-sided dural arteriovenous fistula of the cavernous sinus, which drained into the right superior petrosal sinus, right superior ophthalmic vein, and right inferior ophthalmic vein, and cortical venous reflux was seen via the right petrosal vein in the right posterior fossa. After failure of transvenous embolization, the patient underwent Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS). At one month after GKRS, she developed increasing ocular pain and occipital headache. Repeat angiography showed partial obliteration of the fistula and loss of drainage via the superior and inferior ophthalmic veins with severe congestion, resulting in slow flow around the right cerebellar hemisphere. Prompt transarterial embolization relieved the patient''s ocular symptoms and headache. We report on a case of paradoxical exacerbation of symptoms resulting from obstruction of the venous outflow after GKRS for treatment of a dural arteriovenous fistula of the cavernous sinus.     

Endovascular angioplasty and stent placement in venous hypertension related to dural arteriovenous fistulas and venous sinus thrombosis

Venous hypertension in lateral sinuses resulting from dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) and venous sinus thrombosis (VST) can manifest with severe neurological deficits, such as infarction or intracerebral hemorrhage. It has been proved that venous hypertension plays a significant role in the evolution and progression of DAVF and VST. The definite treatment in complicated conditions such as multiple DAVFs or multiple sinus occlusions is still unknown. Traditional transarterial embolization, transvenous embolization or radiosurgery alone has limited effects on these conditions. We reported one case with venous hypertension presenting with severe neurological symptoms. The case had quick clinical recovery after correction of venous hypertension by endovascular angioplasty and stent placement in occluded lateral sinuses. Accordingly, we propose this method can be an ideal treatment option either in single or staged therapy of venous hypertension related to DAVFs and VST.     

Acquired dural fistulae in benign intracranial hypertension: a short case report

Venous sinus thrombosis has been regarded as a known cause of intracranial hypertension. We report a case of long-standing raised intracranial hypertension (ICT) that presented with deteriorating vision in both eyes. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain and cerebral angiography showed blockage of superior saggital sinus and sigmoid sinuses with bilateral dural arteriovenous fistulae (DAVF) formation.     

经岩下窦入路Onyx联合弹簧圈栓塞治疗海绵窦区硬脑膜动静脉瘘

目的探讨经岩下窦入路Onyx联合可脱性弹簧圈栓塞治疗海绵窦区硬脑膜动静脉瘘的安全性和有效性。方法回顾性分析2010年7月~2013年6月经岩下窦入路Onyx结合弹簧圈栓塞治疗的18例海绵窦区硬脑膜动静脉瘘患者的临床资料,评价疗效及手术并发症。结果栓塞后即刻血管造影显示瘘口完全闭塞15例,次全闭塞3例。4例术中出现心动过缓,3例术后出现眶部疼痛。随访3~12个月,所有患者术前症状消失,无复发。结论经岩下窦入路Onyx联合弹簧圈栓塞海绵窦区硬脑膜动静脉瘘疗效确切,安全可靠。     

颅内静脉窦血栓形成后硬脑膜动静脉瘘(附5例报告)

目的探讨硬脑膜动静脉瘘(DAVF)与静脉窦血栓形成发生的关系,以及其临床表现和治疗方法。方法回顾性分析2005年9月至2009年8月收治的5例继发于或伴发颅内静脉窦血栓形成的DAVF患者的临床资料。结果 5例患者中,3例表现为颅内出血,2例表现为突眼和结膜红肿。3例经开颅手术及1例经血管内介入栓塞治疗,术后均恢复良好;另1例未行外科处理,神经功能障碍呈进行性加重。结论静脉窦血栓形成可继发DAVF,但部分患者先期难以明确静脉窦血栓形成,而表现为DAVF伴静脉窦血栓性闭塞;颅内静脉窦血栓形成后继发的DAVF易发生颅内出血,应积极行血管内栓塞或开颅手术治疗。     

Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Involving an Isolated Sinus Treated Using Transarterial Onyx Embolization

The authors present a case of isolated dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) in the transverse sinus, which developed six years after microvascular decompression caused by hemifacial spasm via suboccipital craniectomy. The lesion was successfully treated by transarterial embolization using Onyx. We reviewed the related radiologic and therapeutic features of DAVF involving an isolated sinus and described the feasibility of the use of Onyx.     

容易漏诊的硬脑膜动静脉瘘临床特点分析

目的提高对容易漏诊的硬脑膜动静脉瘘(DAVF)的诊断水平。 方法回顾性总结2008年1月至2014年5月在温州医科大学附属第一医院神经内科收治的6例DAVF患者,临床表现不典型、容易漏诊的DAVF的临床资料,结合既往文献,进行分析。 结果6例患者主要临床表现：1例表现为长期头痛伴脑鸣,1例表现为双下肢乏力伴头痛,1例表现为三叉神经痛,2例表现为视力下降,1例长期头痛。2例患者头颅MRV提示血栓形成,1例患者MR平扫提示左侧桥小脑角异常血管团形成。6例病例诊断初期均忽略了DAVF。 结论DAVF临床上相对少见,临床表现多变,缺乏特异性,容易导致漏诊,临床医师在临床工作中应增加对该病的认识。     

A Case of Dural Arteriovenous Fistula of Superior Sagittal Sinus after Tamoxifen Treatment for Breast Cancer

We are reporting an unusual case of dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) of the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) after tamoxifen treatment for breast cancer. A 30-year-old female arrived at the emergency room with a sudden headache and left sided weakness and sensory loss. In her past medical history, she was diagnosed with breast cancer 1 year prior, and subsequently underwent a breast conserving mastectomy with whole breast radiation and adjuvant chemotherapy with tamoxifen. At the time of admission, computed tomography showed a small acute intracerebral hemorrhage at the right parietal cortex, and magnetic resonance imaging showed that a dural AVF at the SSS with a prominent and tortuous venous enhancement along the centrum semiovale was present. Cerebral angiography showed that the dural AVF at the mid-portion of the SSS with meningeal arterial feeding vessels entering the wall of the SSS, then draining through the dilated cortical veins. Our patient had no signs of active malignancy or any abnormalities in her coagulation profile, so it can be concluded that the tamoxifen was the likely cause of the SSS thrombosis and dural AVF. The dural AVF was treated by an endovascular coil embolization for the arterialized segment of the SSS. The patient dramatically recovered favorably from left side motor and sensory deficit. The best clinical approach is to screen potential patients of tamoxifen hormonal therapy and educate them on the sign and symptoms of life threatening thromboembolic events while taking tamoxifen.