Dural arteriovenous malformation presenting as cardiac failure in a neonate

Therapeutic progress in pediatric intracranial dural arteriovenous shunts: A review

Pediatric dural arteriovenous shunts (dAVSs) are a rare form of vascular disease: Fewer than 100 cases are reported in PubMed and the understanding of pediatric dAVS is limited. For this study, we searched in PubMed, reviewed and summarized the literature related to pediatric dAVSs. Our review revealed that pediatric dAVSs have an unfavorable natural history: If left untreated, the majority of pediatric dAVSs deteriorate. In a widely accepted classification scheme developed by Lasjaunias et al., pediatric dAVSs are divided into three types: Dural sinus malformation (DMS) with dAVS, infantile dAVS (IDAVS) and adult-type dAVS (ADAVS). In general, the clinical manifestations of dAVS can be summarized as having symptoms due to high-flow arteriovenous shunts, symptoms from retrograde venous drainage, symptoms from cavernous sinus involvement and hydrocephalus, among other signs and symptoms. The pediatric dAVSs may be identified with several imaging techniques; however, the gold standard is digital subtraction angiography (DSA), which indicates unique anatomical details and hemodynamic features. Effectively treating pediatric dAVS is difficult and the prognosis is often unsatisfactory. Transarterial embolization with liquid embolic agents and coils is the treatment of choice for the safe stabilization and/or improvement of the symptoms of pediatric dAVS. In some cases, transumbilical arterial and transvenous approaches have been effective, and surgical resection is also an effective alternative in some cases. Nevertheless, pediatric dAVS can have an unsatisfactory prognosis, even when timely and appropriate treatment is administered; however, with the development of embolization materials and techniques, the potential for improved treatments and prognoses is increasing.

Anatomoclinical Aspects of Dural Arteriovenous Shunts in Children

We review 29 children (presenting between 1985–1996) with dural arteriovenous shunts. By analysing the anatomical features from axial and angiographic imaging and examining the clinical history and pathophysiological characteristics, we hypothesize that different diseases can be distinguished and divided into three groups: dural sinus malformation (DSM), infantile type of dural arteriovenous shunts (IDAVS) and adult type of dural arteriovenous shunts (ADAVS). It was helpful to classify these diseases when assessing the treatment options and long-term prognosis.

Our group of 29 children comprised 19 DSM, 7 IDAVS, 3 ADAVS. A slight male preponderance was noted in the DSM group.

The range of symptoms encountered included mild cardiac failure and coagulopathies, macro-crania, developmental delay, mental retardation, seizures and focal neurological deficits (in the neonates and early infancy age group) with or without haemorrhagic venous infarctions secondary to venous outlet restriction.

We found all types of lesion in the neonatal age group, but in general the different types of lesion correspond to the paediatric subgroups with DSM occurring in the neonatal age group, IDAVS in infancy and ADAVS in children.

DSMs are revealed in the first few months of live and the prognosis is good if the torcular is not involved. Two types can be seen:

1) DSM involving the posterior sinus with or without the confluens sinusum, with giant dural lakes and slow flow mural AV shunting. Spontaneous thrombosis may further restrict cerebral venous drainage and subsequently lead to intraparenchymatous haemorrhagic infarction.

2) DSM involving the jugular bulb with otherwise normal sinuses but associated with a high flow sigmoïd sinus AVF. The prognosis is excellent with embolisation treament.

IDAVS are high flow and low pressure. The sinuses are large and patent with no lakes. Clinical onset is seen in the first few years of life and the shunts are initially well tolerated. Progressive symptoms (symptoms of raised ICP and venous ischaemia) develop at a later age and initially respond to partial embolisation. The long term prognosis is poor with neurological deterioration in early adulthood.

ADAVS present in all age groups and almost all of them are located in the cavernous venous plexus. Post embolisation outcome is excellent.

Transumbilical arterial embolization of a large dural arteriovenous fistula in a low-birth-weight neonate with congestive heart failure

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to report transumbilical arterial embolization of a large dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in a low-birth-weight neonate with congestive heart failure (CHF).

CASE PRESENTATION

A female neonate was delivered by cesarean section at 31 weeks of gestation. Her birth weight was 1538 g and Apgar scores were 6 at both 1 and 5 min. Because of dyspnea and retracted respiration immediately after birth, she required mechanical ventilation. Ultrasound revealed right cardiac overload and a large cystic mass at the posterior brain. Magnetic resonance imaging on day 1 showed a large dural AVF (dural sinus malformation with arteriovenous (AV) shunts) at the torcular herophili. Umbilical artery and vein catheterization were performed on the same day for neurointervention. CHF prompted emergency embolization on day 8. The transfemoral arterial route could not be used because of its small size and compromised femoral artery blood flow. Transumbilical arterial embolization shrank the AV shunts markedly, resulting in clinical improvement, thus requiring no further intervention. Follow-up angiography at 4 months confirmed no residual AVF. Her growth and development were normal at the last follow-up at age 4 years.

CONCLUSION

This patient apparently was the lowest birth weight neonate with a large AVF successfully treated by embolization, which is usually performed through the transfemoral arterial route. The transumbilical arterial route is an alternative for neonates with birth weight <2000 g and very small femoral arteries.

A unique type of dural arteriovenous fistula at confluence of sinuses treated with endovascular embolization: a case report

Dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is classically defined as abnormal arteriovenous connections located within the dural leaflets. Though the exact etiology is still not clear, they are generally accepted as acquired lesions. However, some DAVFs formed as the congenital disorders are called dural arteriovenous malformations and these lesions with a marked cortical venous reflux are considered to be aggressive and warrant an early intervention. The authors describe a case of 35-year-old man presented with unique type of DAVF. The fistula was located adjacent to the confluence of venous sinuses with multiple feeders. The feeders drained into a large venous pouch just anterior to the confluence which had a bilateral venous drainage. This was associated with multiple cerebellar venous ectasia along the draining cortical vein. It was managed by staged endovascular procedures and complete cure could be achieved. The pathogenesis and technique of embolization of this complex fistula/malformation are also discussed.

Neonatal dural arteriovenous fistula at the confluence presenting with paralysis of the orbicularis oris muscle

A male neonate presented a dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) at the confluence with paralysis of the orbicularis oris muscle. The interesting features in our case were the clinical symptoms (orbicularis oris muscle paralysis at birth), angioarchitecture (high-flow arteriovenous shunts at the confluence) and the size and hemodynamic flow (mid-sized venous pouch) of the fistula. Additionally, the embolization technique (i.e., occipital artery approach, closing shunts with pure glue) automatically resulted in the immediate and complete closure of accessory feeders without any additional treatment, and the midterm clinical outcome was good. We succeeded improving the symptoms of a neonate with a congenital high-flow DAVF by closing a fistula using a small amount of glue.

An intracranial aneurysm and dural arteriovenous fistula in a newborn

The authors present the case of a newborn with an intracerebral aneurysm and a dural arteriovenous fistula. The patient initially presented with intraventricular hemorrhage and hydrocephalus, with evidence of remote subarachnoid hemorrhage, left hemispheric stroke, and sagittal sinus thrombosis. He was treated with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and subsequent staged endovascular obliteration of both the aneurysm and fistula. Interestingly, the aneurysm did not appear on an artery feeding the abnormal fistula. Intracerebral aneurysms in the neonatal population are rare, and dural arteriovenous fistulae even more so; we present a case of a 2-month-old infant with both, as well as a review of the literature concerning these rare vascular abnormalities.

A case of neonatal dural sinus malformation: clinical symptoms, imaging and neuropathological investigations

We report a case of neonatal dural sinus malformation already visible on antenatal ultrasound. This is a rare disease entity in infants and children. Clinical diagnosis was made by demonstrating a cranial murmur on auscultation; macrocrania and signs of progressive cardiac failure. Imaging studies as cerebral ultrasound, postnatal MRI scan and MR angiography demonstrated a large dural sinus malformation originating from the sagittal sinus with extensive arteriovenous fistulae. Due to the extent of the lesion, the existing ischemic brain damage and involvement of the torcular, no therapeutic options were available and the child died of irreversible cardiac failure. The diagnosis was confirmed with autopsy. We discuss the clinical presentation, imaging and neuropathological results and relate our findings to embryological data and the existing literature.

Endovascular Treatment of Dural Sinus Malformation With Arteriovenous Shunt in a Low Birth Weight Neonate-Case Report-

A boy was born at 36 weeks gestation weighing 2,135 g, with a prenatal diagnosis of dural sinus malformation with arteriovenous shunts. Congestive heart failure and anuria at birth prompted emergency intervention. Transfemoral-transvenous coil embolization was performed on day 1, resulting in partial occlusion of the huge venous pouch with a total length of 2,355 cm of detachable coils. Transarterial glue embolization on days 7, 23, and 42 was required due to persistent heart failure. Transarterial embolization was performed by common carotid puncture because the transfemoral route could not be used due to the small size and compromised blood flow of the femoral artery. Transarterial embolization reduced the arteriovenous shunts markedly and resulted in clinical improvement. Early treatment of a high flow dural arteriovenous fistula in a low birth weight neonate can achieve an excellent result with an acceptable neurological outcome.

Transumbilical embolization of a congenital dural arteriovenous fistula at the torcular herophili in a neonate. Case report

A neonate, in whom a congenital cerebral vascular anomaly had been diagnosed prenatally, exhibited progressive high-output congestive heart failure soon after birth. Cerebral angiography revealed a congenital dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) with a huge dural lake located at the torcular herophili. In addition to the meningeal blood supply, an unusual pial blood supply from all cerebellar arteries was observed to feed the fistula. The patient was treated by repeated transarterial and transvenous embolization through the umbilical venous route. To the authors' knowledge, neither the existence of a congenital dural AVF at the torcular herophili presenting with an enormous pial blood supply or the technique of trans-umbilical venous intervention has been reported in the literature.

Childhood dural arteriovenous fistulae of the posterior dural sinuses: three case reports and literature review

We report three cases of posterior dural sinus arteriovenous fistulae in pediatric patients and a literature review of 18 additional cases. These lesions carry a grave prognosis with a reported mortality of 38% and with an historical anatomic cure of only approximately 9%. With advanced neurointerventional techniques and increased knowledge of their pathophysiology, these highly complicated lesions can be more safely treated with a strategy that involves extensive preoperative embolization and surgical excision. The importance of delaying direct surgery with conservative measures or interventional radiological treatment, including preoperative transarterial and transvenous embolization, is critical in the management of these lesions.

An unusual dural arteriovenous fistula in an infant

Dural arteriovenous fistula, (AVF), a rare entity, presents most commonly in adults. An 11-month-old boy presented with symptoms of congenital toxoplasmosis associated with an extensive dural AVF of the torcular Herophili and bilateral occlusion of the transverse and sigmoid sinuses. His intracranial venous drainage had become rerouted via the cavernous sinuses to the ophthalmic veins. The relationship of toxoplasmosis and sinus thrombosis to the pathogenesis of dural AVF and their clinical and radiological features are discussed.

Hydrodynamics in vein of Galen malformations

Forty-three patients with vein of Galen aneurysmal malformations (VGAM) referred to us for endovascular treatment between 1985 and 1990 and 335 additional cases published in the literature were reviewed with particular attention to the presence of ventricular enlargement and outcome after shunting. Hydrocephalus was the second most frequent symptom (46.8%); it is more frequent in infants (73%) than in children, adults (30%) or neonates (15%). Of the patients reported in the literature, 17.9% had undergone shunting. Within the shunted population there was an overall morbidity of 41% and a mortality of 10% (especially in the infant group). In our series 17 patients (39.5%) were shunted and a significant difference in the clinical outcome was noted between the shunted and the nonshunted group. Of the nonshunted patients, 66.6% were free of any neurological deficit or mental retardation and fewer than 5% presented with significant mental retardation. On the other hand, only 33.3% of the shunted patients had a favorable outcome and more than 15% developed significant mental retardation. Among the various causes of hydrocephalus in patients with VGAMs, such as obstruction of the aqueduct, subarachnoid hemorrhage, or ex vacuo hydrocephalus, high venous pressure may be of particular importance. In this article a physiopathological interpretation of the hydrodynamics in VGAMs is developed and a speculative explanation for CSF disorders related to ventricular shunting proposed. Treatment of hydrocephalus in VGAMs can be achieved through obliteration of the malformation or at least diminishing the venous pressure; surgical ventricular shunting does not have to be the first treatment of hydrodynamic disorders associated with VGAMs, especially in infants.

Multifocal dural arteriovenous shunts in children

The authors present four consecutive cases of multiple dural arteriovenous (AV) shunts in children. This entity represents a rare but severe clinical situation. The etiology of the shunts is not known. There is clinical and radiological evidence that they are evolutionary lesions. The clinical presentation in this series was usually by cardiac manifestations (one case), cerebrospinal fluid disorders (two cases), neurological symptoms (three cases), including intracranial hemorrhage (two cases), and cranial bruits (four cases). No radical treatment leading to anatomical cure of all dural AV shunts was thought to be possible using current methods, including modern endovascular and surgical techniques, in any of the four cases. Therefore, treatment was only symptomatic and directed at some of the AV shunts. Targeted arterial embolization with permanent embolic agents represents the most rational technique for symptomatic relief in these patients. However, clinical recurrence often happens without evidence of recanalization. Secondary multifocal pial AV shunts opening into the abnormal sinus occurred in two of the cases; they may have been induced by venous sump from the sinus draining the dural AV shunts. Mechanical occlusion (or excision) in multiple dural AV shunts in children does not represent a satisfactory goal, as the shunts can be the expression of a more complex and yet unknown disease.

Congestive cardiac manifestations from cerebrocranial arteriovenous shunts. Endovascular management in 30 children

Since 1984 we have been involved in the management of 30 children who had cardiac manifestations secondary to cerebrocranial arteriovenous shunts. Aneurysm malformation of the vein of Galen was the most common vascular lesion observed (73% of cases). In 77% of the patients the cardiac symptoms were the main presenting complaint. Medical treatment and/or endovascular therapy were indicated, depending on the age of the patients and the severity of the cardiac manifestations. Following embolization, the cardiac symptoms resolved (73%) or improved (18%) in 1 or 2 sessions. Mortality in the embolized group was 9%, and transient nonneurologic morbidity occurred in one case. Overall mortality, including four patients rejected for embolization, was 20%. These results compare favorably with medical and/or surgical management, alone or combined. The technique, challenges, indications and contraindications of endovascular therapy are discussed. Embolization represents an effective adjunct treatment to control, improve or cure the congestive cardiac manifestations caused by cerebrocranial arteriovenous shunts.