Endovascular Treatment of Bilateral Cavernous Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistula: Therapeutic Strategy and Follow-Up Outcomes

OBJECTIVE: Bilateral cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula (CSdAVF) is very rare, even in Asian countries. The research intended to present clinical and radiologic outcomes of treating such fistulas through endovascular embolization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was obtained from 220 consecutive patients, with CSdAVF, who were treated from January 2004 to December 2015. Bilateral CSdAVF was identified in 17 patients (7.7%). The clinical and radiologic outcomes of the fistulas were assessed with an emphasis on the technical aspects of treatment. RESULTS: At the time of treatment, 7 and 10 patients presented with bilateral and unilateral symptoms, respectively. In the former cases, 4 patients had progressed from unilateral to bilateral symptoms. Bilateral fistulas were treated with a single-stage transvenous embolization (TVE) in 15 patients, via bilateral inferior petrosal sinuses (IPS) (n = 9) and unilateral IPS (n = 6). In the other 2 patients with one-sided dominance of shunting, only dominant fistula was treated. Two untreated lesions were found on follow-up to have spontaneously resolved after treatment of the dominant contralateral fistula. Of the 34 CSdAVF lesions, complete occlusion was achieved in 32 lesions after TVE. Seven patients (41.2%) developed worsening of cranial nerve palsy after TVE. During the follow-up period, 4 patients obtained complete recovery, whereas the other 3 remained with deficits. CONCLUSION: With adjustments of endovascular procedures to accommodate distinct anatomical configurations, endovascular treatment for bilateral CSdAVF can achieve excellent angiographic occlusion results. However, aggravation of symptoms after TVE may occur frequently in bilateral CSdAVF. In the patients with one-sided dominance of shunt, treatment of only dominant fistula might be an alternative option.

Intraventricular hemorrhage after dural fistula embolization / Hemorragia intraventricular após embolização de fístula dural

Abstract Background and objectives: Dural arteriovenous fistulas are anomalous shunts between dural arterial and venous channels whose nidus is located between the dural leaflets. For those circumstances when invasive treatment is mandatory, endovascular techniques have grown to become the mainstay of practice, choice attributable to their reported safety and effectiveness. We describe the unique and rare case of a dural arteriovenous fistula treated by transarterial embolization and complicated by an intraventricular hemorrhage. We aim to emphasize some central aspects of the perioperative management of these patients in order to help improving the future approach of similar cases. Case report: A 59-year-old woman with a previously diagnosed Cognard Type IV dural arteriovenous fistula presented for transarterial embolization, performed outside the operating room, under total intravenous anesthesia. The procedure underwent without complications and the intraoperative angiography revealed complete obliteration of the fistula. In the early postoperative period, the patient presented with clinical signs of raised intracranial pressure attributable to a later diagnosed intraventricular hemorrhage, which conditioned placement of a ventricular drain, admission to an intensive care unit, cerebral vasospasm and a prolonged hospital stay. Throughout the perioperative period, there were no changes in the cerebral brain oximetry. The patient was discharged without neurological sequelae. Conclusion: Intraventricular hemorrhage may be a serious complication after the endovascular treatment of dural arteriovenous fistula. A close postoperative surveillance and monitoring allow an early diagnosis and treatment which increases the odds for an improved outcome.

Resumo Justificativa e objetivos: Fístulas arteriovenosas durais (FAVD) são comunicações anômalas entre os canais venosos e arteriais da dura-máter cujo centro está localizado entre os folhetos da dura-máter. Para as circunstâncias nas quais o tratamento invasivo é obrigatório, as técnicas endovasculares se tornaram os pilares da prática, escolha atribuível a relatos de sua segurança e eficácia. Descrevemos o caso único e raro de uma FAVD tratada por embolização transarterial (ETA) e complicada por uma hemorragia intraventricular (HIV). Nosso objetivo foi destacar alguns aspectos centrais do manejo perioperatório desses pacientes para ajudar a melhorar uma futura abordagem de casos semelhantes. Relato de caso: Paciente do sexo feminino, 59 anos, com diagnóstico prévio de FAVD tipo IV (Cognard), apresentou-se para ETA, realizada fora da sala de cirurgia soBanestesia venosa total. O procedimento transcorreu sem complicações, e a angiografia intraoperatória revelou obliteração completa da fístula. No período pós-operatório imediato, a paciente apresentou sinais clínicos de aumento da pressão intracraniana (PIC) atribuíveis a uma HIV posteriormente diagnosticada, o que condicionou a colocação de um dreno ventricular, internação em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI), vasoespasmo cerebral e internação hospitalar prolongada. Durante todo o período perioperatório, não houve alterações na oximetria cerebral. A paciente recebeu alta sem sequelas neurológicas. Conclusão: HIV pode ser uma complicação grave após o tratamento endovascular de FAVD. A observação e o monitoramento cuidadosos no pós-operatório permitem o diagnóstico precoce e o tratamento que aumenta as chances de um resultado melhor.

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.

Closure of Carotid Cavernous Fistula by Manual Carotid Jugular Compression / 대한뇌혈관학회지

A patient with symptomatic dural fistula involving the cavernous sinus did intermittant external manual compression of the cervical carotid artery and jugular vein. We observed complete closure of fistula with improvement of symptoms either clinically or at angiography done 6 weeks later, and recommend this technique with clinical follow up and angiography in selected cases before more definitive therapy is employed.

Intraoperative Embolization of Dural Carotid-Cavernous Fistula: Case Report

Among the twenty-six carotid-cavernous fistulas(CCFs) admitted to Yeungnam University Hospital from Nov. 1985 to Apr. 1994, we managed successfully by a intraoperative embolization of the cavernous sinus through the superior ophthalmic vein in two cases, which were not occluded the fistula site by the percutaneous transarterial and transvenous embolization. We exposed the cavernous sinus epidurally through the pterional approach and embolized the cavernous sinus with Surgical through the small opening at the junction of the superior ophthalmic vein entering the cavernous sinus. The surgical results were excellent.