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Endovascular management of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas in 78 patients

  • Interventional Neuroradiology
  • Published:
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Abstract

Introduction

The purpose of this study was the evaluation of the safety and efficiency of the endovascular treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVFs).

Methods

Between May 1992 and August 2012, 78 patients (59 men) with an angiographically proven SDAVF with pial venous drainage were treated by endovascular embolization (n = 61) and/or surgery (n = 31) at three German hospitals by a single team of physicians and according to a uniform therapeutic concept.

Results

Endovascular treatment resulted in a complete occlusion of the fistula in 47 cases (77 %). After failed embolization with residual shunt, 14 DAVFs were surgically cured (23 % failure rate). We had one permanent and two minor complications after endovascular therapy. Within a postoperative period of 2 weeks, 73.6 % of patients improved in gait disability, 51.1 % in micturition function, and 70.5 % in paresthesia of the lower extremities. Long-term follow-up data showed further improvement of clinical symptoms confirmed by normalization or resolution of spinal changes on MRI.

Conclusions

An interdisciplinary approach to the management of SDAVFs is mandatory. Patients without a common origin of arteries supplying the spinal cord and the dural fistula, and without a stenosis or occlusion of the concerning segmental artery are potential candidates for endovascular treatment (diluted n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate). Only occlusion of the “nidus” and the proximal segment of the draining vein can lead to clinical improvement.

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Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Diagnostische Radiologie und Neuroradiologie, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

    M. Kirsch

  2. Klinik für Neurologie, Alfried-Krupp-Krankenhaus, Essen, Germany

    E. Berg-Dammer

  3. Neurochirurgische Klinik, Neurozentrum, Klinikum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

    C. Musahl

  4. Neurologische Klinik, Neurozentrum, Klinikum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

    H. Bäzner

  5. Klinik für Radiologie und Neuroradiologie, Alfried-Krupp-Krankenhaus, Essen, Germany

    D. Kühne

  6. Klinik für Neuroradiologie, Neurozentrum, Klinikum Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

    H. Henkes

  7. Institut für Diagnostische Radiologie und Neuroradiologie, Universitätsmedizin Greifswald der Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald KÖR, Germany, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17487, Greifswald, Germany

    M. Kirsch

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  1. M. Kirsch
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Correspondence to M. Kirsch.

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Kirsch, M., Berg-Dammer, E., Musahl, C. et al. Endovascular management of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas in 78 patients. Neuroradiology 55, 337–343 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-013-1134-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-013-1134-0

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