Diagnostic and treatment analysis of arteriovenous fistula of cauda equina / 中国脑血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the diagnostic and treatment results of arteriovenous fistula of cauda equina.Methods From January 2000 to December 2015,9 Patients with arteriovenous fistula of cauda diagnosed and treated at the Department of Neurosurgery,Xuanwu Hospital,Capital Medical University were enrolled retrospectively,including 6 males and 3 females.Their ages were 17-58 (mean 39±14) years.The diagnoses were confirmed by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) or surgery (the lesions were located on the cauda equine,which were fed by the arterial supply of the nerve root,and the drainage vein flowed upward into the perimedullary vein).The clinical data,imaging data,and treatment follow-up results of the patients were analyzed.Results The patients presented with weakness of both lower extremities and disturbances of bowel movement and urination.Aminoff Logue score for spinal function was 7.2±3.2 before procedure.The median course of disease was 6.0 (4.5-18.0) months.Angiography showed that the vascular architecture types of the lesions were divided into simple fistula type and micro-nidus type.The feeding arteries were all the nerve root branches of the internal iliac artery.Three patients complicated with conical part of the intramedullary arteriovenous malformations.Eight patients were treated with endovascular embolization,one was treated by operation.No patients were treated with combined interventional surgery,and no surgery-related complications were observed.The mean follow-up duration was 20.1±6.7 months.Imaging follow-up showed that they all reached anatomic cure.Aminoff Logue score dropped to 4.6±2.8 after treatment.There were significant differences before and after treatment in Aminoff Logue score of the patients (t=4.276,P<0.05).Conclusions The nerve root arteriovenous fistula of the cauda equina can be diagnosed by DSA findings.Symptomatic patients are eligible for the indication of endovascular or surgical treatment.Anatomy and functional prognosis are satisfactory after treatment.