Transcatheter embolization of brain arteriovenous malformations and meningiomas. Evoked responses correlations

Abstract

Transcatheter embolization of selective arteries of the carotid and vertebral systems were performed in several patients with brain arteriovenous malformations, angiomas and chemodectomas. All patients were submitted to angiography and electrophysiological examination consisting of a conventional EEG and of visual, auditory and somatosensory evoked responses before and after embolization. Patients with tumors showed a marked decrease of blood flow and tumoral necrosis after embolization, facilitating subsequent surgical procedures. Most patients showed an electrophysiological improvement after embolization, in those regions in which angiography revealed brain decompression resulting from the size reduction of the abnormal tissue. Transcatheter embolization can be very useful in the treatment of brain arteriovenous malformations and intracranial tumors, often facilitating surgical procedures.