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Spinal arteriovenous malformations: neurological aspects and results of embolization
Author(s) -
Lundqvist C.,
Berthelsen B.,
Sullivan M.,
Svendsen P.,
Andersen O.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1990.tb01587.x
Subject(s) - medicine , myelopathy , embolization , medullary cavity , surgery , arteriovenous malformation , central nervous system disease , radiology , spinal cord , anatomy , psychiatry
Twenty consecutive patients with spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) were found to have either a progressive, remitting or remitting‐progressive course of disease. A characteristic progressive neurological decline was observed in 11 patients with dural fistulas and a similar decline was seen in 5 of the 9 patients with intradural AVMs. In addition to paraparesis and mixed sensory disorder, which ascended to a level of about T10, areas with spared sensation were occasionally found below this level. All cases with this progressive longitudinal myelopathy showed radiological evidence of a dilated medullary venous plexus. All patients were treated by embolization with only a low frequency of complications. Follow‐up data verified a significant improvement of motor and sensory function, mainly during the first year after embolization. Cases with progressive neurological decline (dural and intradural AVMs) stopped deteriorating or improved and cases with a history of acute incidents (intradural AVMs) probably run less risk of acute deterioration.