Spinal arteriovenous malformations: surgical management

Abstract

Spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a diverse population of vascular lesions associated with significant long-term morbidity and neurologic impairment. Spinal AVMs can be classified into three categories: intramedullary, extradural-intradural, and conus, depending on their angioarchitecture and anatomy. Extradural-intradural lesions are typically incurable due to their diffuse nature, but patients may benefit from targeted therapy of symptomatic components. Intramedullary and conus AVMs are amenable to safe surgical resection when combined with endovascular embolization and use of a pial dissection technique that spares entry into the neural parenchyma.

Keywords: arteriovenous fistula; arteriovenous malformation; central nervous system vascular malformations; spine.