Operation under hypothermia in a pregnant woman with an intracranial arteriovenous malformation

Management of Acute Hemorrhage Caused by Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation During Pregnancy-Case Series and Literature Review

OBJECTIVE

Acute hemorrhage caused by cerebral arteriovenous malformation (cAVM) during pregnancy is uncommon but life-threatening for both mother and fetus and presents a great challenge to clinical management. However, there is still no consensus on the treatment strategy and the treatment timing of acute hemorrhage from cAVM during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to amalgamate reported case series and our cases regarding the clinical management of pregnant patients under this special condition.

METHODS

We report a case series of 3 pregnant patients with acute hemorrhage caused by cAVM in our hospital. A systematic PubMed search of the English-language literature published between 1970 and 2020 was carried out. Clinical information including patients' age, gestational age, imaging studies, treatment strategy, treatment timing, delivery mode, and outcomes were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

The rebleed rate is about 7.1% and the mortality from rebleeding is up to 25%. Treatment modalities included radical surgery, endovascular embolization, radiosurgery/stereotactic radiosurgery, palliative surgery, and conservative treatment. There were no maternal deaths in either the intrapartum intervention group and the postpartum intervention subgroup of gestational age <34 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

A high rebleed rate and high mortality from rebleeding indicate that the intervention of ruptured cAVM should not be delayed. Intervention of ruptured cAVM within 2 weeks after initial hemorrhage is advisable in patients at gestational age <34 weeks, whereas termination of pregnancy as soon as possible followed by timely intervention of ruptured cAVM is practicable in patients at gestational age ≥34 weeks.

Pre-existing, incidental and hemorrhagic AVMs in pregnancy and postpartum: Gestational age, morbidity and mortality, management and risk to the fetus

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this article is to analyze the maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnancies that present with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).

METHODS

A literature review was performed that analyzed 65 cases of AVM during pregnancy previously reported in English literature.

RESULTS

Sixty-five cases of pregnancy-associated AVM were identified. The patients' ages ranged from 16 to 45 years, with a mean of 28 ± 4.9 years. Sixteen cases (24.6%) were pre-existing AVMs. There were 54 cases (83.1%) of AVM ruptured during pregnancy and postpartum: Six cases (11.1%) were in the first trimester, 24 (44.4%) were in the second, 22 (40.7%) were in the third trimester and two (3.7%) were postpartum. Unfavorable maternal clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≥ 2) was identified in 20 cases (30.8%) and abortion occurred in 10 cases (15.4%). There were three maternal deaths, yielding a case mortality rate of 4.6%. Fifty-three fetuses were born via cesarean section in 42 cases and vaginal delivery in 10 cases; 48 were in good health, three were temporarily intubated, one was macrosomic and one died. In univariate analysis, AVM hemorrhage presentation was significantly associated with a poor maternal outcome (mRS ≥ 2) (p = 0.030); however, not significantly associated with fetus risk (p = 0.864). Gestational age was not significantly associated with poor maternal outcome (p = 0.875) or fetal risk (p = 0.790).

CONCLUSION

AVM hemorrhage presentation was significantly associated with poor maternal outcome. Pre-existing ruptured AVM may not be associated with fetal risk. Gestational age of AVM rupture was not significantly associated with poor maternal outcome or fetal risk.

Neurosurgical procedures in pregnancy

PURPOSE: Over the past few decades maternal mortality has progressively declined because of improved management of the major obstetric problems of hemorrhage, infection, and toxemia. As a result, the relative incidence of deaths resulting from non obstetric causes has increased. Chief among nonobstetric causes are neurologic disorders. Those most common during pregnancy are low back pain, intracranial tumors, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and neurotrauma. The management of the neurosurgical pathologies during pregnancy needs some specifications for both the mother and the fetus. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study evaluating the clinical, radiological, and surgical characteristics of 9 patients who have cranial neuropathologies and have undergone neurosurgical intervention. RESULTS: Most of the patients in this study had vaginal delivery. Prominent neurosurgical disease related to cerebral damage. Every patient underwent a laboratory and radiological evaluation. All except one survived the neurosurgical pathology. Neither baby nor mother had significant problem during delivery and neurosurgical intervention. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women may face to every kind of neurosurgical pathology that nonpregnant women have faced. In addition, pregnancy itself, gives rise some metabolic changes in the women and those changes may cause some neurologic pathologies to be symptomatic or to aggravate the present symptomatology. Because of those reasons, close neurologic follow up of a pregnant woman is of vital importance. At the end of a pregnancy having experienced some neurologic interventions including diagnostic evaluation or surgical intervention does not necessitates the cesarean section for a neurologically intact infant and mother.

Anesthesia, cardiopulmonary bypass, and the pregnant patient

For the perioperative management of pregnant patients with severe cardiac or aortic disease who require a cardiac surgical procedure and cardiopulmonary bypass, a close, cohesive, working relationship must exist among several medical and surgical specialties. For appropriate management, the well-being of both the mother and the fetus must be considered. The best interests of the mother and the fetus may not coincide, and optimal therapy for one may be inappropriate for the other. We present 10 cases of severe cardiac or aortic disease in pregnant women who required surgical intervention. Eight patients underwent cardiopulmonary bypass during pregnancy, and two patients had cesarean section performed immediately before cardiopulmonary bypass. We also discuss the pertinent pharmacologic aspects related to the perioperative period and the management of cardiopulmonary bypass for the pregnant patient.

Vascular malformations and pregnancy

Between January 1975 and June 1989, 240 patients with cerebral vascular malformations were treated at Henry Ford Hospital. In 16 of the patients, the treatment was influenced by pregnancy. Eleven of the patients presented with hemorrhage, four with seizures, and one with hydrocephalus. There were no maternal or fetal deaths in the patients presenting with seizure or hydrocephalus. There were two maternal deaths and one fetal death among the cases presenting with hemorrhage. In the patients with seizure or hydrocephalus, the pregnancy was brought to term and obstetric indications used to determine the time and method of delivery. Hydrocephalus was treated by shunting, and seizures with medication. Antiepileptic drug levels fluctuate in pregnancy and hence were closely monitored to ensure therapeutic levels. Vascular malformations are the most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage in pregnancy. The risk of rebleed in the same pregnancy is about 27%. If an arteriovenous malformation ruptures during pregnancy and the patient's condition deteriorates, appropriate emergency surgery should be done. In stable patients, our policy has been to bring the pregnancy to term and then electively perform a craniotomy to excise the arteriovenous malformation.