Cervical spine arteriovenous fistula associated with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia

A rare case of spinal involvement in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia

INTRODUCTION

Here, we describe a rare case of a spinal arteriovenous fistula in a patient with known hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) and spontaneous intraspinal hemorrhage. Furthermore, we provide a brief review of the literature on the formation of spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVM) in relation to this disease.

CASE PRESENTATION

The case involves a 54-year-old male with known HHT. At the age of 49, the patient experienced recurrent cystitis. Urological evaluation ruled the cause to be neurological and subsequent imaging revealed a thoracic AVM. Four years later, the patient was admitted to A&E with chest pain and loss of function of the lower extremities and right arm, suspicious for ruptured aortic dissection. Trauma-CT excluded this and a final diagnosis of ruptured spinal AVM was made. Seven months post-injury, a spinal angiography was performed confirming the AVM. The remaining AVM was embolized under general anesthesia with acceptable results.

DISCUSSION

Spinal involvement in HHT is exceedingly rare but remains an important differential diagnosis, especially when patients present autonomic symptoms as these could potentially progress to life-threatening complications. The literature and the presented case indicate the prudence of closing spinal AVMs in HHT in case of symptoms, including autonomic, such as bladder dysfunction.

Clinical and angioarchitectural characteristics of spinal vascular malformations of the cervical spine

OBJECTIVE

Vascular malformations of the cervical spine are exceedingly rare. To date there have been no large case series describing the clinical presentation and angioarchitectural characteristics of cervical spine vascular malformations. The authors report their institutional case series on cervical spine vascular malformations diagnosed and treated at their institution.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed all patients with spinal vascular malformations from their institution from January 2001 to December 2018. Patients with vascular malformations of the cervical spine were included. Lesions were characterized by their angioarchitectural characteristics by an interventional neuroradiologist and endovascular neurosurgeon. Data were collected on clinical presentation, imaging findings, treatment outcomes, and long-term follow-up. Descriptive statistics are reported.

RESULTS

Of a total of 213 patients with spinal vascular malformations, 27 (12.7%) had vascular malformations in the cervical spine. The mean patient age was 46.1 ± 21.9 years and 16 (59.3%) were male. The most common presentations were lower-extremity weakness (13 patients, 48.1%), tetraparesis (8 patients, 29.6%), and lower-extremity sensory dysfunction (7 patients, 25.9%). Nine patients (33.3%) presented with hemorrhage. Fifteen patients (55.6%) had modified Rankin Scale scores of 0-2 at the time of diagnosis. Regarding angioarchitectural characteristics, 8 patients (29.6%) had intramedullary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), 5 (18.5%) had epidural arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), 4 (14.8%) had paraspinal fistulas, 4 (14.8%) had mixed epidural/intradural fistulas, 3 (11.1%) had perimedullary AVMs, 2 (7.4%) had dural fistulas, and 1 patient (3.7%) had a perimedullary AVF.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective study of 27 patients with cervical spine vascular malformations is the largest series to date on these lesions. The authors found substantial angioarchitectural heterogeneity with the most common types being intramedullary AVMs followed by epidural AVFs, paraspinal fistulas, and mixed intradural/extradural fistulas. Angioarchitecture dictated the clinical presentation as intradural shunts were more likely to present with hemorrhage and acute onset myelopathy, while dural and extradural shunts presented as either incidental lesions or gradually progressive congestive myelopathy.

Thyroplasty in unilateral vocal fold paresis with coexisting hereditary hemorrhagic telenagiectasia: A case report

RATIONALE

The coincidence of an idiopathic unilateral vocal fold paresis and hereditary hemorrhagic telenagiectasia (HHT) is extremely rare and has not been described in the available literature yet.

PATIENTS CONCERNS

A 55-year-old female was admitted to hospital due to acute onset of hoarseness, voice fatigue, and effort dyspnea. In the past, the patient was diagnosed with HHT and on admission presented characteristic vascular lesions in the oral cavity. She reported also experiencing a moderate epistaxis at least once per month.

DIAGNOSES

The otolaryngological examination (fiberolaryngoscopy, phoniatric examination) revealed unchanged mobility and morphology of the right vocal fold and paresis of the left vocal fold in intermediate position. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of head, neck, and chest were inconclusive and showed no pathologic findings.

INTERVENTIONS

The unilateral paresis was treated for 12 months as idiopathic, with extensive rehabilitation. However, no improvement was observed. As a patient suffering from HHT is a challenge for anesthesiologists in terms of general anesthesia, the decision to perform type I thyroplasty (medialization) in local anesthesia was made.

OUTCOMES

There were no complications intraoperatively or in postoperative period. The implemented treatment was successful, as the voice quality improved both in perceptual evaluation (GRBAS scale) and acoustic analysis (F0, jitter, shimmer, NHR).

LESSONS

A routine surgical treatment in patients with HHT is a challenge. However, in this case, it was uneventful and successful, thus it can be recommended in other patients with similar background.