Multiple arteriovenous malformations with hemorrhage

Sporadic multiple cerebral arteriovenous malformations: case report and systematic review of additional 80 cases

INTRODUCTION

In absence of hereditary diseases multiple brain arteriovenous malformations are extremely rare. The case series that would include more than 13 patients are unlikely to be found, which causes an obstacle to comprehensively analyzing the peculiarities of epidemiology, symptoms and treatment options for this disorder. We describe patent with two independent arteriovenous malformations in frontal and parietal lobes that have been treated with combination of preoperative embolization, surgical excision and stereotactic radiosurgery. Systematic review of literature was also performed, focusing on epidemiology of sporadic multiple arteriovenous malformations, niduses location, clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

We systematically analyzed relevant literature using the PubMed database, encompassing studies in English (published between 1956 and 2023) reporting incidence, epidemiological features, symptomatology and treatment of sporadic multiple brain arteriovenous malformations.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Forty-eight studies with a total of 80 sporadic multiple cerebral arteriovenous malformations were extracted from the literature. Twenty-two papers reported incidence of multiple brain arteriovenous malformations. The average incidence (including our data) was 2.4%, varying significantly between children and adults. Hemorrhage from one AVM was the most frequent debut of multiple cerebral arteriovenous malformations. Surgical removal of niduses remains a valuable treatment option even considering the enhancement of embolization techniques and the development of radiosurgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Sporadic multiple cerebral arteriovenous malformations represent a difficult problem to solve. The possibility of persistence of multiple brain arteriovenous malformations should be taken into account when diagnosing and following-up.

Multiple brain arteriovenous malformations: systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis

Multiple brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVM) are rare neurovascular lesions usually related to genetic syndromes. Its management is not well established given its rarity. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical and angiographic features of published cases and to explore their associations with treatment outcomes. We performed a literature search of published cases in Medline and the Regional Index Medici. Additional cases were searched in our single-center registry. Data on the proportions of patients and clinical and angiographic characteristics were extracted. The study outcomes were nidal instability in patients who underwent staged treatment and radiological cure in patients who underwent treatment using any treatment modality. Logistic regression models for the study outcomes were analyzed. Data on the proportions of multiple bAVM patients were summarized with meta-analyses of proportions. We included 118 patients (reported in 68 studies) from the literature and 6 cases identified in our registry. A total of 124 patients harboring 339 bAVM nidi were included in the analyses. Differences between syndromic and non-syndromic cases were observed. The logistic regression analyses showed that angiographically occult untreated bAVM was associated (OR 14.37; 95% CI 2.17 to 95.4) with nidal instability after staged treatment, and deep (OR 5.11; 95% CI 1.51 to 17.27) and eloquent (OR 3.91; 95% CI 1.22 to 12.52) locations were associated with residual disease after treatment. Inconsistent reporting of relevant data throughout the included studies undermined the planned analyses. Some prognostic factors were found to be related to the study outcomes. Study Registration: The protocol of the systematic review was registered in PROSPERO as CRD42021245814.

Multiple De Novo Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations in a Patient with Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (cAVMs) are traditionally considered congenital anomalies. The literature includes only two reported cases of de novo solitary cAVMs associated with liver cirrhosis (LC). Here, we report a unique case of multiple de novo cAVMs in a patient with alcoholic LC.

Teaching point: In patients with potential risks for de novo cAVM, including liver cirrhosis, the possibility of multiple de novo cAVMs should be considered.

[Microsurgical resection of multiple unruptured cerebral AVMs. Case report and literature review]

Multiple brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are extremely rare. We report a 26-year-old patient with paroxysmal symptoms. This was the first case in our center over 10 years (0.15% of all patients with brain AVM in this period). Microsurgical resection of AVM of the left temporal lobe was carried out at the first stage (Spetzler-Martin grade I). A month later, resection of AVM of the left parietal lobe (Spetzler-Martin grade III) after preliminary endovascular embolization was carried out. Early postoperative visual and mental disorders occurred after the second surgery and completely regressed within 1 month. Control angiography after the second operation confirmed total resection of both AVMs. Thus, staged microsurgical resection of two cerebral AVMs combined with preliminary endovascular embolization of more complex AVM was effective and ensured favorable clinical result. We analyzed the features of our clinical case and compared our findings with literature data.

Multiple cerebral arterio-venous malformations: impact of multiplicity and hemodynamics on treatment strategies

BACKGROUND

Multiple AVMs are exceptionally rare lesions and only a few larger series have been published, including other vascular pathologies, such as arterio-venous fistulae (AVF) or patients with hereditary syndromes. Our study presents clinical, angiographic, and therapeutic characteristics of patients harboring sporadic multiple AVMs.

METHODS

Basic demographic data, vascular architecture, clinical presentation, treatment strategies, and treatment outcome were analyzed retrospectively from patients with cerebral AVMs treated in our department between 1990 and 2015.

RESULTS

Six out of 539 patients (1.1 %) harbored 15 multiple and distinct cerebral lesions. Nidus size was predominantly small, consequently determining a Spetzler-Martin grade °I-°II (three-tier grading system). In three patients, AVMs shared a proximal feeding artery supply, whereas each AVM displayed its own venous drainage. Five of six patients (83 %) presented with hemorrhage. Four patients received therapy of the AVMs with complete elimination in 3/4 patients (75 %) and 8/9 treated AVMs (89 %). All patients with treatment of the AVM showed good-to-excellent recovery (n = 4, mRS ≤ 2).

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple cerebral AVMs are complex vascular lesions. The multiplicity of hemodynamic and malformation-related variables influence treatment strategy and sequence. Thus, awareness of these parameters (of various malformations before and during treatment) is important. The high number of hemorrhagic events in the present series might justify a more aggressive treatment of multiple AVMs than previously thought.

Management of multiple cerebral arteriovenous malformations in a non-pediatric population

BACKGROUND

The occurrence of concomitant multiple cerebral arteriovenous malformations (mAVMs) is often associated with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) or craniofacial arteriovenous metameric syndrome (CAMS) and frequently occurs in the pediatric population.

METHODS

Between 1995 and 2013, demographic, clinical, and angiographic data of cerebral AVMs have been prospectively collected. We retrospectively analyzed data of patients presenting multiple cerebral AVMs.

RESULTS

Six patients (mean age, 44 years, male-to-female ratio, 5) presented an angiographic diagnosis of cerebral mAVMs. Only one of them was known to have a HHT. Five patients presented two cerebral AVMs and one patient had three. Three AVMs (23.1 %) presented bleeding at admission. Three patients had supratentorial mAVMs only and the three others had supra and infratentorial AVMs. Only one patient suffered from bleeding of more than one of his mAVMs with an interval of 23 years.

CONCLUSIONS

For asymptomatic AVMs discovered incidentally without angiographic bleeding risk, we propose a therapeutic abstention. In case of AVM rupture and bleeding, the other "associated" AVMs (discovered through a complete angiographic assessment) should also be treated if they are not located in an eloquent area and if the treatment does not present technical difficulties. AVMs with a history of bleeding or associated to angiographic risks have to be treated more aggressively.

Hemorrhage Risk in Pediatric Patients with Multiple Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations

BACKGROUND/AIMS

This study aims to characterize the clinical features, treatment strategies, and annual hemorrhage incidence rate of pediatric patients with multiple arteriovenous malformations (MAVM).

METHODS

The PubMed and EMBASE databases and the arteriovenous malformations (AVM) database at the Johns Hopkins Hospital were searched for reports of pediatric patients (under 21 years of age) with MAVM. Data related to demographics, clinical features, management, and treatment outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Twenty-four pediatric patients met the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

The annual hemorrhage incidence rate was 2.1%. The most common presenting features were neurological deficit (38%) and hemorrhage (21%). Treatment with embolization has become the most frequently used modality. In patients undergoing staged treatment of MAVM, hemorrhage of an untreated nidus (n = 1), visualization of a new nidus (n = 2), or disappearance of a draining vein (n = 1) occurred.

CONCLUSION

The annual hemorrhage incidence rate for pediatric patients with MAVM approaches the upper range of previously reported hemorrhage rates for solitary AVM. A staged approach to treating MAVM requires close follow-up as changes to the remaining nidi may occur during the latency period. Limitations of this study include its small sample size and reporting bias.

Hemorrhage risk and clinical features of multiple intracranial arteriovenous malformations

The aim of this report is to examine clinical characteristics, treatment strategies, and annual hemorrhage incidence rate for patients with multiple arteriovenous malformations (MAVM). The PubMed and EMBASE databases and the arteriovenous malformations (AVM) database at The Johns Hopkins Hospital were searched to identify patients with MAVM. Data related to demographics, clinical features, management, and treatment outcomes were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Thirty-eight patients met the inclusion criteria. The annual hemorrhage incidence rate was 6.7%. Surgical intervention remained the most common single-modality treatment from 1949-2011. Between 1990 and 2011, multiple-modality treatment strategies (36% of cases) were employed more frequently. The most common presenting features were neurological deficit (74%) and hemorrhage (63%). In patients undergoing staged treatment of MAVM, hemorrhage of an untreated nidus (n=5), visualization of a new nidus (n=9), and disappearance of an untreated nidus (n=2) were observed. Limitations of this study include small sample size and reporting bias. The annual hemorrhage incidence rate for MAVM patients was approximately two- to three-fold greater than the reported annual hemorrhage rates for solitary AVM. Combining different treatment modalities has become the most common management strategy. The potential instability of remaining nidi with staged or incomplete treatment necessitates close follow-up in these cases.

Ruptured tectal arteriovenous malformation demonstrated angiographically after removal of an unruptured occipital lobe arteriovenous malformation

We report a case of ruptured tectal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) that was demonstrated angiographically only after removal of an unruptured occipital AVM. A 57-year-old man presented with sudden onset of diplopia and tinnitus. Computed tomography revealed a small hemorrhage in the right tectum mesencephali with intraventricular hemorrhage. Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography disclosed AVM in the right occipital lobe which was separate from the hemorrhagic lesion. Angiography demonstrated that the right occipital AVM was fed by the parieto-occipital artery and drained into the superior sagittal sinus and vein of Galen. However, no abnormal vascular lesion was detected near the tectum mesencephali. As venous hypertension was considered the reason for hemorrhage, the occipital AVM was completely resected. Postoperative angiography demonstrated disappearance of the occipital AVM, but it also disclosed a small tectal AVM fed by branches from the superior cerebellar artery, which had not been detected on preoperative angiography. This was considered the true cause of hemorrhage, and gamma knife surgery was accordingly performed. Even if an AVM is demonstrated, if the lesion does not correspond to the hemorrhage we recommend serial angiographical evaluation so that a small AVM is not missed.

Development of multiple cerebral arteriovenous malformations documented in an adult by serial angiography. Case report

A 50-year-old woman with a parietal intracerebral hematoma was initially treated by hematoma evacuation. Initial preoperative and follow-up angiograms obtained 6 months later demonstrated no pial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). She suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage 8 years later. Results of follow-up cerebral angiography revealed the development of previously undetected multiple cerebral AVMs. This appears to be the first reported case of the development of multiple cerebral AVMs in an adult, demonstrated on serial angiography.