Neurologic Complications of Arteriovenous Malformation Embolization Using Liquid Embolic Agents

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Embolization of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) is commonly used to achieve nidal volume reduction before microsurgical resection or stereotactic radiosurgery. The purpose of this study was to examine the overall neurologic complication rate in patients undergoing AVM embolization and analyze the factors that may determine increased risk.

Angioarchitectural Characteristics Associated with Complications of Embolization in Supratentorial Brain Arteriovenous Malformation

“…Recent studies reported morbidity ranging from 3-11%, and mortality from 0 -4%, 2,4,5,7,8,11,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] with associations to angioarchitecture, embolic agents, microcatheters, and the manipulator's skills. Studies on different embolization materials, such as silk, 24 polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and coil, 25 Onyx, 11 and n-BCA, 23 showed 1.4%, 13%, 19.5%, and 50% rates for morbidity and 0%, 0%, 2.9%, and 1.9% for rates of mortality, respectively.…”

Embolization of Brain Arteriovenous Malformations for Cure: Because We Could or Because We Should?

“…2,3,5,7,8 However, although the overall cure rates in these series have varied, none have demonstrated cure for most of their patients (Table). In addition, the permanent disabling morbidity or mortality rates have been higher than those in several recent large series using predominantly or exclusively n-BCA, [9][10][11][12] which have ranged from 1.6% to 6.5%. Embolization for cure was not the primary aim in most patients treated in these series.…”

Embolization with gamma knife radiosurgery of giant intracranial arteriovenous malformations

“…Additional treatment goals may include staged reduction of blood flow in an AVM by stepwise occlusion of deep feeding arteries that could provide dose planning to more critical locations (14,(17)(18)(19)22). …”