Extremity arteriovenous malformations involving the bone: therapeutic outcomes of ethanol embolotherapy

Abstract

Purpose: To assess retrospectively the therapeutic results, complications, and therapeutic approach to ethanol embolotherapy of extremity arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) involving the bone.

Materials and methods: From December 1996 to May 2009, 22 patients (12 male, 10 female; eight children, 14 adults; age range, 1-64 years) with extremity AVMs involving the bone underwent staged ethanol embolotherapy (range, 1-12 procedures; mean, 4.4 procedures) under general anesthesia. Four patients had pure bone AVMs and 18 had mixed bone and soft-tissue AVMs. Pulmonary artery pressure and arterial blood pressure were monitored as ethanol was injected. Ethanol embolotherapy was performed by direct puncture and/or transcatheter approach. Therapeutic outcomes were established by evaluation of the clinical response of symptoms and signs, as well as the degree of devascularization at follow-up angiography or computed tomography.

Results: Ninety-six ethanol embolotherapy procedures were performed in 22 patients. Four (18%) were cured, 14 (64%) showed improvement, three (14%) showed no change, and one (4%) experienced treatment failure and amputation of the affected extremity. Ethanol embolotherapy was considered effective (ie, combined cure and improvement outcomes) in 18 patients (82%). Ten patients (45%) experienced complications. Twelve minor complications (skin and transient peripheral nerve injury; 13%) and one major complications (longstanding nerve palsy; 1%) occurred in 96 procedures.

Conclusions: Ethanol embolotherapy of extremity AVMs involving the bone has the potential to eliminate or improve symptoms in a high percentage of patients, with an acceptable risk of minor and major complications.