Risk factors for dural arteriovenous fistula intracranial hemorrhage

To our knowledge, the risk factors for intracranial hemorrhage from dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) have not been systematically described, due to the complexity of their anatomy and low incidence. We performed this retrospective study to investigate the DAVF factors predicting intracranial hemorrhage. A 10 year database of 144 consecutive patients with DAVF was reviewed. Data collected and analyzed were demographics, morphologic features of DAVF, sex, age, fistula flow rate, arterial supply, lesion location, and venous drainage pattern. Linear univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between influencing factors and hemorrhage. A first linear univariate analysis was performed for all influencing factors, and showed that sex, lesion location, and venous drainage pattern were statistically significant in predicting intracranial hemorrhage (p < 0.05). Secondary multivariate logistic regression analysis with sex, lesion location, and venous drainage pattern showed that only venous drainage pattern was statistically significant in predicting intracranial hemorrhage (p < 0.05). Therefore, venous drainage pattern, particularly the cortical venous drainage, significantly predicts intracranial hemorrhage from DAVF. Both sex and lesion location may be confounding factors in predicting intracranial hemorrhage from DAVF, while the other factors may not be associated with hemorrhage.     

Endovascular treatment of a bilateral ophthalmic-ethmoidal artery dural arteriovenous fistula.

A 76-year-old man developed blurred vision, and cerebral angiography disclosed an anterior skull base dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) supplied by both ethmoidal branches of the ophthalmic arteries and draining through a single cortical vein. Selective catheterization of both ophthalmic arteries distal to the origin of the central retinal arteries and occlusion the fistula feeders with injections of n-butyl cyanoacrylate glue led to complete occlusion of the fistula with preservation of retinal perfusion. The visual symptoms are attributed to impaired retinal perfusion as the result of a steal phenomenon. With care, a DAVF in this location can be successfully treated endovascularly while preserving retinal perfusion by embolizing the ophthalmic artery distal to the origin of the central retinal arteries and avoiding any backflow of embolizing material.     

Myelopathy from intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula

Dural arteriovenous fistulas arising intracranially are an uncommon cause of progressive myelopathy. This report is of a patient in whom the diagnosis of the condition was confounded by coexisting small vessel cerebrovascular disease.     

A rare brainstem hemorrhage during transvenous embolization of a cavernous dural arteriovenous fistula

Intravascular treatment of cavernous dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) is usually safe and effective. However, we describe a patient with a rare brainstem hemorrhage during transvenous embolization (TVE). A 79-year-old woman suffered from left chemosis and diplopia. Cerebral angiography revealed a left cavernous dAVF with cortical venous drainage. The patient underwent TVE of the cavernous sinus (CS) via the left inferior petrosal sinus. Superior petrosal sinus (SPS) outflow occlusion was performed to avoid venous congestion, followed by superficial middle cerebral vein outflow occlusion, selective shunt occlusion of the middle meningeal artery, and superior orbital vein outflow occlusion. The patient's condition suddenly deteriorated during CS packing. A CT scan revealed a massive brainstem hemorrhage. Cerebral angiography did not show SPS reopening or redistributed drainage to the posterior fossa. Thus, TVE for cavernous dAVF can result in life-threatening vascular complications. Well-planned treatment strategies could avert this rare complication.     

Bilateral ethmoidal dural arteriovenous fistula: Unexpected surgical diagnosis

Dural arteriovenous fistulae (DAVFs) are infrequent lesions, the most common locations of which are the cavernous, sigmoid and transverse sinuses. The cribiform plate is one of the less frequent sites for DAVFs, where they entail a high hemorrhage risk. Feeding arteries for ethmoidal DAVFs can be uni- or bilateral. However, the draining fistulous system has classically been described as unilateral. The authors report the second case in literature of bilateral ethmoidal DAVF, which is defined as that with bilateral draining veins. The present case was diagnosed only after surgical exploration of both cribiform plates. No preoperative radiological test could detect the presence of a bilateral venous draining system from the ethmoidal DAVF. Possible reasons for that lack of presurgical diagnosis are discussed. Bilateral surgical exploration of the anterior cranial fossa is recommended when dealing with ethmoidal DAVFs, even when they seem to be unilateral on preoperative studies.     

Primary intraventricular hemorrhage from dural arteriovenous fistula

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) cause several types of intracranial hemorrhage, but rarely cause primary intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). We report a 67-year-old man with sudden headache and a long history of a pulsatile bruit who developed intraventricular hemorrhage without any parenchymal hemorrhage. Cerebral angiogram revealed dural arteriovenous fistulas in transverse and sigmoid sinuses. Severe retrograde venous drainage seemed to have caused backward flow into the subependymal veins with their consequential rupture. Transvenous embolization was successful.     

引起脊髓功能障碍的硬膜动静脉瘘的临床特点

目的 回顾性研究引起脊髓功能障碍的硬膜动静脉瘘（DAVF）的临床特点，促进此类疾病的早期诊治。方法 对15例引起脊髓功能障碍的DAVF患者进行诊治。手术相关性DAVF1例，自发性DAVF14例。缓慢起病11例，急性起病4例。磁共振T2加权脊髓周围异常血管流空11例，脊髓被增强7例。血管造影证实硬膜瘘口位于小脑幕1例，颈段4例，胸段7例，腰骶尾段3例。手术靠近瘘口切断引流静脉6例，介入栓塞瘘口6例，介入后手术2例，保守治疗1例。结果 1例手术治疗患者失随访，1例拒绝手术治疗的患者确诊后1周死亡，其余13例患者随访时间为6-58个月。5例手术治疗的患者均治愈；6例介入治疗的患者，3例治愈，2例好转，1例无变化；2例介入后手术治疗的患者，1例好转，1例双下肢顽固性疼痛无变化。结论 掌握引起脊髓功能障碍的DAVF的起病形式、磁共振特点和血管造影检查要点，有利于DAVF的早期诊治、提高治愈率和患者的生命质量。     

A tentorial dural arteriovenous fistula presenting progressive myelopathy: a case report

Abstract We report a case of a dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) at the tentorium cerebelli, which presented progressive myelopathy. A 68-year-old man with neurological deterioration of the cervical myelopathy visited our hospital. T₂ weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed high signal area and edema from the medulla to the upper thoracic spinal cord with flow voids on the dorsal surface of the cord. Angiography showed right tentorial DAVF, which was supplied by the right meningohypophyseal trunk, the middle meningeal artery, the accessory meningeal artery, and was drained into the posterior spinal veins. The patient underwent right retrosigmoid suboccipital craniotomy, then disruption of the fistula was performed by using micro Doppler sonography following endovascular obliteration of the main feeders. Postoperative angiography showed complete obliteration of the fistula. His daily functioning gradually improved up to 6 months after the surgery. Tentorial DAVFs with clinical manifestation of myelopathy are rare. Considering its aggressive nature, early surgical treatment could be necessary. (Received: November 17, 2010, Accepted: December 18, 2010).     

Spontaneous acute subdural hematoma: A rare presentation of a dural intracranial fistula

Dural arteriovenous fistulas are acquired lesions between the meningeal arteries and their associated draining veins. They may have highly variable clinical presentations and evolution, from severe neurological deficit to no or trivial symptoms. Intracranial hemorrhage occurs in less than 24% of all dural fistulas, and the bleeding is usually subarachnoid, more infrequently intracerebral, and rarely in the subdural space. Here, we present a rare case of a patient who presented with a subdural spontaneous hemorrhage. After investigation by cerebral angiography, the diagnosis of a dural arteriovenous fistula was made. The patient underwent uneventful endovascular treatment. As there are with only a few reports in the literature of such a presentation, we present this patient and perform a brief review of the literature.     

Intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula presenting as parkinsonism and cognitive dysfunction

There are few syndromes of parkinsonism with dementia which can be treated. We report two patients with dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) who presented with rapidly progressive parkinsonism and cognitive dysfunction. DAVF are rare lesions resulting from abnormal connections between meningeal arteries and dural sinuses. Angiography in both patients revealed DAVF associated with multiple occlusive changes in the dural venous sinus. This report emphasizes the need for a high level of clinical suspicion to diagnose DAVF and consider it as one of the causes of rapidly progressive cognitive dysfunction in patients with parkinsonism.     

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistula

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize clinical key points, diagnostic features, and results of imaging and therapy of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (SDAVF). RECENT FINDINGS: SDAVF accounts for 70% of spinal arteriovenous malformation with an annual incidence of 5-10 cases per million. At least 80% of patients are male, and more than 66% of patients are in the sixth and seventh decade of life indicating preponderance of gender and age. Thrombophilia is not a predisposing factor of disease. Clinical course is predominated by symptoms of congestive myelopathy, but subarachnoid hemorrhage may occur. Double SDAVF is a rare problem in the management of disease. Magnetic resonance imaging has replaced myelography as screening procedure. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography and multislice computerized tomographic angiography may facilitate diagnostic procedure, however, spinal angiography is still required to confirm diagnosis. Treatment by permanent occlusion of fistula results in clinical improvement in 70% of cases. Microsurgical shunt interruption has proven secure and reliable. Endovascular shunt embolization has been established as a standardized procedure, but occlusion rates are still lower than in surgical treatment. SUMMARY: Advances have been made in diagnosis and treatment of SDAVF, but the disease is still not completely understood.     

The trigeminocardiac reflex in Onyx embolisation of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula

We investigated the incidence of the trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) during ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (Onyx Liquid Embolic System, ev3 Neurovascular, Irvine, CA, USA) embolisation of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) and evaluated the post-procedural recovery of these patients. Between June 2006 and July 2009, 21 patients (11 females, 10 males) with a mean age of 61 years (range: 25–85 years) underwent 28 Onyx embolisations of intracranial DAVFs at our institution. The case histories of these patients were reviewed retrospectively. A TCR occurred in three (10.7%) of the embolisations, with bradycardia lower than 60 beats/minute and a drop in mean arterial blood pressure of 20% or more. The reflex was blunted promptly with intravenous atropine, and follow-up of these patients showed no complications that might have been directly related to it. The TCR may occur during Onyx embolisation of intracranial DAVFs. Recognition of this phenomenon allows for early detection and appropriate intraoperative management.     

与板障静脉沟通的硬脑膜动静脉瘘并发颅内出血1例报道及文献复习

目的 总结与板障静脉沟通的硬脑膜动静脉瘘（DAVF）并发颅内出血的诊治经验。方法 回顾性分析血管内介入治疗的1例与板障静脉沟通的DAVF并发颅内出血的临床资料,并结合相关文献分析。结果 62岁男性,左侧肢体肌力0级,头部CT示右侧额顶叶出血;DSA示右侧额顶部DAVF,由右侧脑膜中动脉额顶支供血,经板障静脉、大脑镰静脉引流并因压力增高导致皮层静脉逆流致静脉高压性脑出血;经脑膜中动脉额支注入Onyx胶闭塞瘘口,术后复查造影发现引流静脉消失;术后半年,左侧肢体肌力恢复至4级。结论 与板障静脉沟通的DAVF并发颅内出血为罕见疾病,血管内治疗可达到治愈。     

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistula associated with syringomyelia

The previously undescribed association of a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula with syringomyelia was found in a 60-year-old male, who developed increasing paresis, numbness of both lower extremities and sphincteric dysfunction. Symptoms and signs were attributed to a syringomyelia at T5-L1 and an arteriovenous spinal dural fistula at L1. The fistula was successfully immobilised with N-butyl-cyano-acrylate. Six months after the procedure, all abnormalities had nearly disappeared. Whether the relation between the fistula and the syringomyelia was coincidental or causative could not be determined.     

Endovascular treatment of vein of Galen dural arteriovenous fistula presenting as dementia

Dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is an important cause of neurological dysfunction that is often misdiagnosed, especially in elderly population. Galenic DAVFs are a subtype of the rare falcotentorial DAVFs with a high risk of hemorrhage and aggressive clinical course. In most cases, DAVFs present with pulsatile tinnitus, headache, or orbital symptoms such as chemosis and proptosis. We report a patient with DAVF of Vein of Galen presented with progressive dementia, treated by Onyx embolisation and had good clinical outcome.