The patient, a 20-day-old male, was admitted due to respiratory distress that had persisted for 20 days after birth. The main clinical manifestations included gradually worsening respiratory distress and edema. The patient received treatment including mechanical ventilation and diuretics. Echocardiography indicated cardiomegaly, pulmonary hypertension, and heart failure. A comprehensive systemic examination revealed a significant blowing vascular murmur upon auscultation over the anterior fontanelle and bilateral temporal regions. Further imaging studies including cranial magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance angiography, and magnetic resonance venography showed marked dilation of the superior sagittal sinus, transverse sinus, and sigmoid sinus, leading to a definitive diagnosis of dural arteriovenous fistula. After a multidisciplinary consultation, the patient underwent cerebral angiography and partial embolization of the left parietal arteriovenous fistula. Postoperatively, the patient was treated with positive inotropes, diuretics, and fluid restriction. Ultimately, the patient was weaned off the ventilator and discharged in improved condition. This article reports a case of neonatal dural arteriovenous fistula presenting with respiratory distress and discusses the multidisciplinary approach to managing this condition, which aids in early disease recognition and guides clinical decision-making.
Humans ; Male ; Infant, Newborn ; Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations/diagnosis* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/etiology* ; Embolization, Therapeutic

OBJECTIVES: Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is the current gold standard for diagnosing spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (SDAVF). However, DSA is invasive and associated with risks such as ionizing radiation and iodine contrast allergy. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) with high temporal/high spatial resolution allows dynamic multiphase contrast-enhanced imaging with excellent detail. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of spinal CE-MRA with high temporal/high spatial resolution for SDAVF. METHODS: Clinical data were retrospectively collected from patients who underwent both conventional spinal MRI and high temporal/high spatial resolution CE-MRA at Xiangya Hospital between January 1, 2021, and January 1, 2024, and who subsequently underwent DSA or surgery within 90 days. Two experienced radiologists independently reviewed all conventional MRI and CE-MRA images. The sensitivity and specificity of conventional MRI and CE-MRA for diagnosing SDAVF were calculated against the gold standard DSA findings. Kappa statistics were used to evaluate the consistency of MRI and CE-MRA compared to DSA. The diagnostic value was further assessed by calculating the area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were included, of whom 47 were diagnosed with SDAVF and 13 were not. Conventional MRI had 3 false negatives and 1 false positive; CE-MRA had 2 false positives and 0 false negative. The sensitivity and specificity of conventional MRI were 93.62% and 92.31%, respectively. CE-MRA demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 84.62% specificity. The main cause of false positives was the misidentification of posterior spinal arteries as feeding arteries. CE-MRA clearly displayed most feeding arteries, and the accuracy of fistula localization was 74.47% (35/47). Kappa values for conventional MRI and CE-MRA were 0.814 and 0.896, respectively (both P<0.001), indicating good agreement, with CE-MRA outperforming conventional MRI. The AUCs for diagnosing SDAVF were 0.930 for conventional MRI and 0.923 for CE-MRA (both P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Spinal CE-MRA with high temporal/high spatial resolution is a reliable, non-invasive imaging technique with high sensitivity for diagnosing SDAVF. It can clearly visualize feeding arteries and provides valuable preoperative diagnostic and localization information to support DSA or surgical planning.
Humans ; Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations/diagnosis* ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography/methods* ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction/methods* ; Aged ; Adult ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Contrast Media ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effect of microsurgery and endovascular embolization in the treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (SDAVF) by meta-analysis. METHODS: A systematic review was performed to retrieve all relevant literature about surgical treatment or endovascular embolization of SDAVF up to December 2019 through PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Results, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and SinoMed. The Chinese and English key words included: "SDAVF", "spinal dural arteriovenous fistula", "spinal AVM", "spinal vascular malformation and treatment". The included studies were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The early failure rate, long-term recurrence, neurological recovery, and complications were evaluated and the clinical effects of the two methods in the treatment of SDAVF were compared by using RevMan 5.3 software. And a further subgroup analysis of the therapeutic effect of endovascular embolization with different embolic agents was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 46 studies involving 1 958 cases of SDAVF were included, in which 935 cases were treated by microsurgery and 1 023 cases were treated by endovascular embolization. The funnel plot demonstrated that there was no publication bias. The results of meta-analysis showed that the incidence of early surgical failure was lower than that of endovascular embolization (OR=0.20, 95%CI: 0.13-0.30, P < 0.05), and the long-term recurrence was also lower than that of endovascular embolization (OR=0.36, 95%CI: 0.22-0.58, P < 0.05). The improvement of neurological function in the surgical patients is significantly higher than that in the patients treated with endovascular embolization (OR=2.86, 95%CI: 1.36-5.99, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the occurrence of complications in these two groups (OR=1.52, 95%CI: 0.88-2.64, P=0.14). In the cases of endovascular embolization, the risk of treatment failure or recurrence was higher with Onyx glue than with n-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA), and the difference was statistically significant (OR=4.70, 95%CI: 1.55-14.28, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Although the treatment of dural arteriovenous fistulas by intravascular embolization has been widely used, the clinical effect of microsurgery is still better than that of endovascular embolization. Large scale and high-quality randomized controlled trials are required to validate the efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment in SDAVF patients.
Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations/surgery* ; Embolization, Therapeutic/methods* ; Enbucrilate/therapeutic use* ; Endovascular Procedures/methods* ; Humans ; Microsurgery/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Arteriovenous Fistula/diagnostic imaging* ; Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations/diagnostic imaging* ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; Humans

Intracranial and spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are vascular pathologies of the dural membrane with arteriovenous shunts. They are abnormal communications between arteries and veins or dural venous sinuses that sit between the two sheets of the dura mater. The dura propria faces the surface of brain, and the osteal dura faces the bone. The location of the shunt points is not distributed homogeneously on the surface of the dural membrane, but there are certain areas susceptible to DAVFs. The dura mater of the olfactory groove, falx cerebri, inferior sagittal sinus, tentorium cerebelli, and falx cerebelli, and the dura mater at the level of the spinal cord are composed only of dura propria, and these areas are derived from neural crest cells. The dura mater of the cavernous sinus, transverse sinus, sigmoid sinus, and anterior condylar confluence surrounding the hypoglossal canal are composed of both dura propria and osteal dura; this group is derived from mesoderm. Although the cause of this heterogeneity has not yet been determined, there are some specific characteristics and tendencies in terms of the embryological features. The possible reasons for the segmental susceptibility to DAVFs are summarized based on the embryology of the dura mater.
Arteries ; Brain ; Cavernous Sinus ; Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Dura Mater ; Embryology ; Membranes ; Mesoderm ; Neural Crest ; Pathology ; Population Characteristics ; Spinal Cord ; Veins

Sinus pericranii (SP) is a rare vascular anomaly of the scalp that consists of an abnormal pericranial venous channel connected to adjacent dural venous sinuses. Most SP are asymptomatic and are found in the pediatric age group. We aim to report a case of symptomatic SP in adult and describe the clinical, radiological, and pathohistological findings to help understand and differentiate this lesion from other scalp lesions. A 40-year-old man with a scalp mass was admitted to our hospital complaining of headache. The lesion enlarged when the patient was in a recumbent position or during Valsalva maneuver. The radiologic imaging suggested its diagnosis as an accessory type of SP with bone erosion. Surgical resection and cranioplasty were successfully performed, and the related headache also gradually subsided. At the 3-year follow-up, there was no recurrence on magnetic resonance imaging.
Adult ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Recurrence ; Scalp ; Sinus Pericranii ; Valsalva Maneuver ; Vascular Malformations

Stereotactic radiosurgery has become excellent alternative treatment for cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM). This technique has expanded to treatment of larger AVM which is not amenable to surgical management. However, its variable adverse effects should be also taken into considerations sincerely because of radiobiological characteristics such as delayed onset and progressive neurological deteriorations. Herein, we report a case in which progressively expanding hemorrhagic cyst with repeated bleedings so called chronic encapsulated expanding hematoma was developed on several years after radiosurgery treatment. Neurological and radiological findings were improved by surgical removal.
Arteriovenous Malformations ; Hematoma ; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations ; Radiosurgery

Direct puncture and embolization of the transverse sinus (TS) for treatment of dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is typically performed with coils with or without glue. We report a case of DAVF at the left TS that was treated with Onyx embolization via direct puncture of the TS. A 75-year-old woman presented with tremor, festinating gait, and dysarthria. A left TS-DAVF with retrograde superior sagittal sinus and cortical venous reflux (Cognard type IIa+b) was identified on cerebral angiography, and both TSs were occluded with thrombi. We considered that achieving complete cure by transvenous embolization via the femoral vein or transarterial embolization via occipital feeders would be difficult. Thus, we performed a small craniotomy at the occipital bone to puncture the TS. The midportion of the TS was directly punctured with a 21-G microneedle under fluoroscopic guidance. We inserted a 5-F sheath into the TS. A microcatheter was then navigated into the affected sinus. Coils were placed through the microcatheter to support Onyx formation by reducing the pressure of shunting flow. Onyx embolization was performed with the same microcatheter. The DAVF was almost completely occluded except for the presence of minimal shunting flow to the proximal TS. After 1 week, time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography showed complete resolution of DAVF. The patient showed resolved tremor and markedly improved mental status at 1-month follow up. Direct puncture and embolization of the TS using coils and Onyx is effective and feasible method for the treatment of DAVF when other approaches seem difficult.
Adhesives ; Aged ; Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations ; Cerebral Angiography ; Craniotomy ; Dysarthria ; Female ; Femoral Vein ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gait Disorders, Neurologic ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Methods ; Occipital Bone ; Punctures ; Superior Sagittal Sinus ; Tremor

With the field of neuroradiological procedures consistently expanding, breaking the border between the medical and surgical treatment, anesthetic involvement in those procedures is also increasing, which underscores the importance of related anesthesia management. The objective of this study is to review the closing or open endovascular procedures for intracranial aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, acute ischemic stroke, and carotid stenosis and related anesthetic implications.
Anesthesia ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Carotid Stenosis ; Endovascular Procedures ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Stroke

Orofacial granulomatosis is a rare granulomatous inflammatory disease, characterized by recurrent orofacial swelling. Infectious, genetic, and immunologic etiologies are suggested, but not fully understood. Herein, we report a case of synchronous orofacial granulomatosis with brain cavernous hemangioma in a 44-year-old female patient, which may be considered paraneoplastic syndrome.
Adult ; Brain ; Female ; Granulomatosis, Orofacial ; Hemangioma, Cavernous ; Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System ; Humans ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes